Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting 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.
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 extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, 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 chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach 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 exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited 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 the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games 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 Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts 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.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 home tie.
