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The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents 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 shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian'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 combination of injury and international duty.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United 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.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager'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 swift exit.

Current 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 absent players 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, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.

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 the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

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

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, 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 prolonged period.

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

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.