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Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted 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 fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

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

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

But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.

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

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 expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

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 hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.