Cunha Strikes to Snatch Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing home 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 combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious 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 six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, 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 absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, 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 United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake 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 wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle 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 cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
