🔗 Share this article

Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current 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 absent players are the answer 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 attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster 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 the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival

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

True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.

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 threat in a tight first half.

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 cup journey with a home tie.