At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, 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 match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin 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.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick 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 squad.
It's not that the missing pair 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, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua 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 a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
