Cunha Scores to Snatch Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.

The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team 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 bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination 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.

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 the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries 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 answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered 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 delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run 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 bit drab affair.

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

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

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

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

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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 thought about the manager's future.

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight 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 FA Cup journey with a home tie.