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The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing home 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate'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 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 relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, 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 understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing 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 much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

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

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance 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 young striker.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

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

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant 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 domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.