Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, 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 finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's 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 chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability 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 limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
