At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha equalises just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop 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 Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money 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 new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
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 moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling 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 wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
