At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny 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 restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing 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 four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor 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 impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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, squandered.
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 participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing 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 campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust 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 three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
