At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot 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.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, 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: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened 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 the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing 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 seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds 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 clear progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
