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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

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

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money 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 Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

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 the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs 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 drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

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

It's not that the missing pair are the answer 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 clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin 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 defensive error opened the door for the opener.

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.