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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less 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 finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the visitors 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, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim'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 limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered 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 five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence 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: Another Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.

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

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

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

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

However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA 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.