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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 avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny 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 restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

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 visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

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

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

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations 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 the team's options.

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside 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 new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their previous 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 previous fixtures.

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

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

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.

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

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.