Matheus Cunha Scores to Snatch Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.

The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

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

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to care about 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 visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, 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 short time, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.

It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's 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 Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, 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 future.

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds 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 FA Cup journey with a home tie.