At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second period.
- Cunha equalises just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson 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 bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate'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 in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' 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 Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim'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 alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence 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 new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
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 expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped 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 mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home 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 difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
