Matheus Cunha Strikes to Secure Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.

Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home 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 substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

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

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, 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, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations 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 attackers is having on Amorim's options.

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 poor results earlier in the season.

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

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

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

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

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

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

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

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

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club 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 cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.