Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 combination of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling 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 contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
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 few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
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 Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
