Matheus Cunha Strikes to Earn Man Utd a Draw at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United 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.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His 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 memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
