At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second period.
- Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim 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, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money 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 Leeds to sympathise with 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 Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling 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 fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
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 immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, 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 no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin 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' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare 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 season, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
