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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

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

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred 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 a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat 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, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.