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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 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 home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing home 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 fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.

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

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

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

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

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 season.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

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 big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

The striker's 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 Aaronson.

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

However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.