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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork 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.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided 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 Amorim is without several 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.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting 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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Current 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 solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.

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

For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.