At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate'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 point 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 matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.
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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the 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 biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context 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.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
