Matheus Cunha Strikes to Secure Manchester United a Draw at Elland Road.
At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing 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 squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous 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 mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious 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 difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
