At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven 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 absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer 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 FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
