At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds 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 mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing 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 options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight 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 rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
