Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha equalises just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving 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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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 young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home 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 rare moment of threat 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 their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
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. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
