Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues 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 diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, 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 forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim'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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence 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 young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
