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

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

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

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

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

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager 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 introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

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

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.