At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred 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 a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough 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.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds 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 task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer 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. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
