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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four 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 visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

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 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: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

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

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

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

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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 expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.

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

For a short moment, Leeds' 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 thought about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park 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 FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.