At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
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 finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin 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 Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
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 poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied 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 quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
