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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

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

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home 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 four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.

It's not that the missing pair 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 season.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball 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 operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

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

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds Analysis: Another 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 moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

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

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

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

However, 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 campaign, many thought about the manager's future.

Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.

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

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.