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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect 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 spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

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 visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

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

It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

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

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's 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 natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction 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 Safety

After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight 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 Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.