🔗 Share this article

The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling 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 fired against a post in the dying moments.

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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 poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately 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 showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After memorable victories in their previous 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 intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

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

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

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

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League 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 entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.