🔗 Share this article

The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, 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 Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth 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 international duty.

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

Noah Okafor 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 struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee'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 late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points 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: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

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

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's squad.

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

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than 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 new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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 atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.