Matheus Cunha Scores to Earn Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.

Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass 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 big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to sympathise with 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 struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation 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, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately 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 big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence 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 new signing.

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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

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

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

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

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club 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 entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.