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Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

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

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

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman 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 fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United 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 impression, 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 fired against a post late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON 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 Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's options.

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

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided 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 five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief 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 Survival

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

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

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

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

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

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

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