At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to 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 you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, 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 blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team'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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's 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 last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League 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 Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
