Cunha Strikes to Earn Man Utd a Draw at Leeds.
At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less 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 home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate'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 late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly 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 Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.