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The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving 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 six yards out.

The goalscorer, 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 matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, 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 matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened 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 United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

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

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive 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 nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

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