At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly 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 less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting 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 impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop 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 Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager 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 replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling 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 atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' 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 threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing 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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
