Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish 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 Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile 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 sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood 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 forwards is having on the team's options.
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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, 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 a long run 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 Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted 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 position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving 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 league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
