Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, 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 short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
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 suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned 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 isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
