Cunha Scores to Snatch Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Leeds.
Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha responds 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 Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money 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 the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard 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 blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced 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 Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, 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 campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
