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Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.