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The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker 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 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 in the dying moments.

The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, 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 opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the absent players are the solution 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 few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals 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 conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare 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 season, many thought about the manager's future.

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 cup journey with a home tie.