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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, 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.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American'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 mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular 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 close range.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations 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 heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's options.

It's not that the absent players 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, the boss has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence 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 young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

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 typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.

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

The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.

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

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.