At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by 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 through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian'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 mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with 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 spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee'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 late on.
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 chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing 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 conviction 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: 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 instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
