At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American'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 fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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 fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team'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 poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance 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 United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced 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 striker's header that struck the post was an isolated 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.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving 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 Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
