At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
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 Manchester United 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.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw 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.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations 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 the team'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 campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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: A Further Step Towards Survival
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 instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
