Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular 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 contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, 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 matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution 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 few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally 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 assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced 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 Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds 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 Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
