Cunha Strikes to Snatch Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second period.
- Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny 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 prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several 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 lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length 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 struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points 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.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His 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 Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous 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 the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, 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 campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park 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.
