Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
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 impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain 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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua 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 natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated 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.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' 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 Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving 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 domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
