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Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.

Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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

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

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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.

For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, 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 position.

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.