At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their best Premier League unbeaten run 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 disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile 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 Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, 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, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened 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 United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly 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 expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence 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 Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
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 typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained 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 congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds 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 coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
