Matheus Cunha Strikes to Secure Man Utd a Draw at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home 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 fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious 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.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw 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 Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned 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 five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further 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 moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped 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.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club 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 beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
