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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

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

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing 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 much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

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

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

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 mistake 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 wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.

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 Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.