Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds 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 visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard 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 contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team'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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence 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 Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, The home 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 suffered a difficult 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 completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park 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.
