Matheus Cunha Strikes to Secure Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.

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

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line 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 prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker 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 close range.

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

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, 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 matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, 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 unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

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

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence 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: Another Step Towards Safety

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 moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped 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.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.