At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current 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 squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided 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 playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park 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 FA Cup journey with a home tie.
