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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect 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 spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, 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 disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick 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 the team's options.

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly 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 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 playing 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: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling 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.

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 masterminding clear progress.

The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 beginning their cup journey with a home tie.