At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing home 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard 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 contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends 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 visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error 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 the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
