Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team 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 failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing home 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 four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker 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 impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
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 showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
