Cunha Strikes to Secure Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Leeds.
Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha equalises just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's 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 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 AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards 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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped 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 defensive error opened the door for the opener.
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 suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
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. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.