At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, 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 blasted against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach 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 unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight 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 coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
