At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile 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 lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, 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 in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the missing pair 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, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing 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 the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable 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 expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous 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 mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic 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 the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
