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Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds 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 visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards 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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

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

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

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

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further 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 moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated 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.

Ever so briefly, The home 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 season, many speculated about the manager's future.

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds 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 league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.