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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United 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 his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop 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: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards 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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

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

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

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare 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 speculated about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.