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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin 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.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home 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 four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

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 audacious 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.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted 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 Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

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

On this evidence, the big-money 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 a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

The striker's header that clipped 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 Aaronson.

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

However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The job 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 Newcastle 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 beginning their cup journey with a home tie.