At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
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 Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired 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 chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming 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 United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home 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 quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
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 entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
