Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds 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 finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer 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 attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than 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 nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake 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 much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds 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 league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
