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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 his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury 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 full length 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 Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

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

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.

It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, 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 nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After memorable 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 expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

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

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.