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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

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

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds 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 combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

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 Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, 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 a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team'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 suffered 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 Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

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

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

Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

The home 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 rare moment of quality in a tight first half.

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

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

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

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.