At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile 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 struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
