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Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

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

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing 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 the manager is without several 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 lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.

It's not that the absent players are the solution 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, the boss has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming 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 United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.

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

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight 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 Old Trafford tie.