At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 combination of injury and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious 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 six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, 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 forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, 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 a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare 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 campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park 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.
