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The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form 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 home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury 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 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 his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to captain 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 absent players are the answer 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, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

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

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, The home delirious 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 poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.