At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds 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 audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee'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 point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick 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 options.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
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 instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, 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 position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.