Matheus Cunha Scores to Snatch Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.

The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds 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 combination of injury and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect 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 audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points 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, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations 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 heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating 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.

His 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 Survival

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

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck 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' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.