Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
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 spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling 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 contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest 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 short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's 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 natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: 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 expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
