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The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

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

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, 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 blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.

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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned 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 three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After thrilling 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 expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight 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, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.