At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds 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 combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts 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 visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, 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 blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, 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 chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, 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 exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team'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 poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, 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 similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club 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 overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League 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 Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
