Matheus Cunha spared Manchester United a rare and painful defeat at Elland Road, firing home a quick equaliser to earn a gritty 1-1 draw against fierce rivals Leeds on Sunday.
Rúben Amorim’s side looked
set for a damaging loss after Brenden Aaronson pounced on a defensive lapse to give Leeds the lead just past the hour mark. But United’s response was immediate. Joshua Zirkzee slipped a clever pass into Cunha’s path, and the Brazilian stretched to prod home from close range, silencing the home crowd within minutes.
The result keeps Leeds’ long wait for a win over United alive — they haven’t beaten their bitter rivals since an FA Cup upset at Old Trafford in 2010 — but it also felt like a missed opportunity for the visitors.
Victory would have lifted United into the Premier League’s top four. Instead, Amorim’s men remain fifth, with just one win in their last five league outings.
Still missing the injured Bruno Fernandes, Amorim reverted to his favoured 3-4-2-1 system after briefly experimenting against Newcastle. That tactical indecision continues to hover over his early tenure, especially following recent comments hinting he may not yet have the players to fully execute his vision.
For Leeds, it stretched their unbeaten run to seven and moved them further clear of danger. For United, it was another frustrating afternoon that summed up their stop-start season.
(with AFP inputs)
