At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
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 struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' 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 Manchester United 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 Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards 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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' 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 quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not completed 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 FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
