At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee'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 extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points 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, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer 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 few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than 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 young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult 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, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
