At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
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.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American'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 national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
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 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 visitors 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 AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution 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 limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His 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 memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated 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 Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, 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 future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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.
