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The Red Devils' 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 damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious 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 six yards out.

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

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points 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 short time, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.

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

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, 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 expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied 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 congested 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' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.