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

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table 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 ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim 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 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 Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

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

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He evidently does not trust youngster 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 three goals in five games, and others operating 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.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.

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

For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

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

Looking Ahead

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. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.