Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly 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.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money 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 you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed 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 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers 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 poor results earlier in the season.
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 Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
