Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile 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 you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, 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 match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager'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.
Current injuries to captain 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 solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling 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 United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home 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 clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
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. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
