At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United 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.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
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 poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied 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 rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, 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 position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
