At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home 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 injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate'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 in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability 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 disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals 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 conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight 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' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
