At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect 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 spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop 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.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
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 showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
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. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.