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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager 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-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with 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 United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

Cunha, 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 games, their best 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 fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim'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 pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers 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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

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

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

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games 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 home was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.

The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

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

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

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

However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.

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 Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.