At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, 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 introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular 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.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire 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 England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim'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 poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
