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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth 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 fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting 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 his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation 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: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated 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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

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

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

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

True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

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

The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.

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

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer 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. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.