At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny 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, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about 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 struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity 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 forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
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 finding it tough 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 their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
