Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds 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 combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about 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 visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard 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 in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
