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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers 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 pass from introduced the Dutchman 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, 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 chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

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

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

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

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

The striker's header that clipped 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, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, 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 speculated about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.