Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds 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 several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer 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, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' 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 clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer 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. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
