At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson 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 struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing 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 lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity 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 Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers 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, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's 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 operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest 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 other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
