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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American'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 mix of fitness issues and international duty.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee'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 late on.

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards 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 campaign.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

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 showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the 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 biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

The home fans were more concerned 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 rare moment of quality in a tight first half.

It still felt as though the hosts 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 Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

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