At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach 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-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury 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 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 close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His 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 memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
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 Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
