Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick 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 Amorim'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 season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred 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.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
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 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 concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
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 Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing 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 league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
