At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
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 United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest 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 chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven 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 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 season.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered 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 playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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 memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park 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 entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
