At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled 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 Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with 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 United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain 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 the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
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 no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
