At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers 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 latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds 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 combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about 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 visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation 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: The Manager'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.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team's squad.
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, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally 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 struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another 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 expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
