Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
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 prolongs Leeds' 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: 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.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
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, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance 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 thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality 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 rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture 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 overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA 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.
