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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

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

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that Leeds 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 impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

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

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

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

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

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling 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 young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

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

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.

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

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

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.

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. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.