Match Summary
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
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 spectacular 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.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster 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 replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager 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 nearer to securing their survival.
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 league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
Marlon Vance is a seasoned sports analyst with over a decade of experience in betting markets, specializing in data-driven predictions and strategy development.
