At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.
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 disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's 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 previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
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 struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
