At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about 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 Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile 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 tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
