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Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 fitness issues and international duty.

Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving 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 Zirkzee'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 the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, 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 chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood 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 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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.

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 Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

After memorable 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 fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

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 rare moment of quality in a tight first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.

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. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.