🔗 Share this article

Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim 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, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

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

It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

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 instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

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

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

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

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

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club 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 league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.