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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

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

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

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, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction 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 expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run 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 fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

The striker's header that clipped 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 the opener.

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.