Matheus Cunha Strikes to Earn Man Utd a Draw at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, 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 South American's fourth goal since his big-money 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 care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
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 struggling to make an impression, 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 fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua 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 a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His 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 previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, 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 season, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.