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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards 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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

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

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling 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 the manager and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.