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

The Everton loanee 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 effort.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American'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 international duty.

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

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 impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best 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 matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.

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

He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival 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 Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence 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 young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

After thrilling 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 atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.

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

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

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.