At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny 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 recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin 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.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood 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 Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games 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 biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds 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 task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
