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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny 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 recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire 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 captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's options.

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival

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

True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced 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 the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds 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. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.