At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points 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, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle 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 Three Lions star 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 answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor 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 much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming 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 young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
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 expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' 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 the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
