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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home 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 several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest 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, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire 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 captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.

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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

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

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

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.

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

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

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

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager 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 overseeing significant progress.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.