Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing 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 fitness issues and international duty.
Not that the hosts 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 visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, 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 in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin 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 short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer 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 alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance 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 United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club 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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
