Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury 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 diving 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 close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team'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 season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
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 underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance 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 United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer 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. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
