Manchester United ended a turbulent week with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday that does little to ease the pressure on beleaguered manager Michael Carrick.
The Red Devils travelled to the home of their bitter rivals desperate to find a spark but were forced to settle for a point after Dominic Calvert-Lewin cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo's first-half opener.
United now have just one win in seven league games this season and are winless in their past six matches in all competitions.
Carrick -- in his first full season in charge -- is scrambling for answers, with his team looking short of quality and confidence.
The sense of a growing crisis at Old Trafford was exacerbated by a midweek outburst from defender Lisandro Martinez, who took aim at the United hierarchy after a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Carrick chose to focus on the positives after Sunday's game at Elland Road, insisting that the draw was a step in the right direction.
"If there's any weakness, it gets found out today," he told Sky Sports.
"I could feel before the game that the players were ready for it. It wasn't perfect, our confidence isn't sky-high, but the players were trying to do the right things.
"In moments we looked really good. Defended really well as a team."
Argentina centre-back Martinez gave an explosive interview in Spain on Tuesday during which he criticised the lack of investment in the summer transfer window.
Carrick insisted on Friday that United had "moved on" from the incident and Martinez was named in the starting line-up at Elland Road.
Both teams were fully committed in a feisty start to the match in Leeds but there was little goalmouth action.
The first effort on target came in the 26th minute when Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens clawed away a Nico Elvedi header destined for the top corner after bouncing up off the turf.
Mbeumo, playing as United's target man, wasted a couple of chances but broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when he guided a Youri Tielemans cross into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.
Leeds put the visitors under sustained pressure after the break and were level in the 51st minute when England forward Calvert-Lewin controlled the ball on his chest and finished at full stretch after Tarik Muharemovic's header from a corner.
Carrick made attacking substitutions in the search of a winner, bringing on Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha, but neither side could make the breakthrough.
United, in 13th spot, have their fewest wins at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1986/87.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Brighton leapfrogged Arsenal into second place, at least temporarily, after humbling Crystal Palace 5-0, including a sensational Diego Gomez effort from the halfway line.
Fabian Hurzeler's team were three goals up inside 10 minutes after an own goal from Palace defender Jaydee Canvot, Gomez's spectacular effort, and a strike from Yasin Ayari.
Further goals from Charalampos Kostoulas and substitute Jack Hinshelwood in the second half deepened Palace's pain.
Only three sides in Premier League history have scored more goals in their first seven games of a season than Brighton's haul of 23 in the current campaign.
The Gunners, six points behind leaders Manchester City, are in action at Nottingham Forest in the late-afternoon kick-off.
Arsenal need a win to keep pace with City, who have won all seven of their league games this season.
Bournemouth beat 10-man Sunderland 2-0 with goals from Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson for their first league win of the season.