Matheus Cunha Strikes to Snatch Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' 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.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home 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 fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United 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 contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
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 pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution 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 few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued 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 inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.