At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home 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 mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager 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 significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
