At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United 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 close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer 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 limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
