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The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues 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 audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, 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 contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity 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 understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team'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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the 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 Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling 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 young striker.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.

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

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

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

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake 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.

However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle 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 cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.