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

The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

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 effort.

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.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin 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: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.

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

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence 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 Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

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

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

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

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

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

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

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.