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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 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 restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot 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 several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect the hosts 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 United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee'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 the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the solution 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 limited attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

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

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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 last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

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

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.

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

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke 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, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.