Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, 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-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American'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 mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting 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 impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
The home 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 the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
