Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing 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 several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts 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 spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, 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 disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point 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 fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers 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 attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous 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 isolated 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, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
