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Manchester United's 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 headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with 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 audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team'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, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

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

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

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

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

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

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

However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

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 league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.