At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, 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 disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair 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, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to 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 young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home 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 Leeds 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 overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team 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. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
