Matheus Cunha Finds the Net to Secure Manchester United a Draw at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 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 Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United 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 impact, turned his teammate'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 point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team'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 disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
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 defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League 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 Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
