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Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League 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 national team commitments.

Not that Leeds 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 audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out 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 best 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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 Survival

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

True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

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

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.