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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth 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 national team commitments.

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

Noah Okafor 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 struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired 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 a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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

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

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball 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 playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance 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 Survival

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 typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

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

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club 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.