Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, 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-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
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 close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds 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 masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
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 cup journey with a home tie.
