At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing home 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 four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, 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 fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best 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 chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's squad.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, 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.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: 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 moments of typical 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 sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck 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 mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
