At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided 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 combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, 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, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations 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 heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players 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, Amorim has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
