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Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line 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, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.

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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

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

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.