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The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

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

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

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

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

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

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

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

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

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

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

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

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.