At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin 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 short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied 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 isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
