At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 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 a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving 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.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, 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, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not completed 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
