Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, 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 similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction 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 new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another 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 instances of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
