At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare 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.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a Premier League 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 entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
