{"id":391828,"date":"2026-01-04T21:33:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T21:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/391828\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T21:33:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T21:33:11","slug":"matheus-cunha-earns-manchester-united-draw-as-leeds-keep-up-unbeaten-run-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/391828\/","title":{"rendered":"Matheus Cunha earns Manchester United draw as Leeds keep up unbeaten run | Premier League"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few of the near 40,000 that flooded the Elland Road terraces would have cared to admit it given the depths at which one of English football\u2019s most intense rivalries runs, but it was hard to argue that this was anything but a well-earned point apiece that serves the intentions and ambitions of both Leeds and Manchester United<\/a> well.<\/p>\n

On first glance, a draw away at a \u00adrelegation-threatened, newly \u00adpromoted side does little in terms of oozing positivity. But given the fact Ruben Amorim selected a starting lineup with nine defensive-minded players and the visitors were facing a Leeds side now on their longest unbeaten run<\/a> in the Premier League since 2001, they will view this as a point gained.<\/p>\n

This latest instalment of this rivalry may have felt every inch as vitriolic and hostile as historical encounters in the stands \u2013 you only had to witness the reaction to the visitors\u2019 team bus arriving at Elland Road \u2013 but it didn\u2019t quite feel that way on it; there wasn\u2019t quite the bite of those infamous matches of previous decades.<\/p>\n

That was \u00adevident at full-time, as the \u00adplayers from both sides embraced and debriefed each other after a fairly low-key and often low-quality contest.<\/p>\n

To that end, there was perhaps no \u00adsurprise both goals came \u00adpredominantly from mistakes with Brenden Aaronson opening the \u00adscoring just after the hour mark before Matheus Cunha levelled just three minutes later.<\/p>\n

Aaronson\u2019s strike, a fine \u00adfinish after Ayden Heaven misread a \u00adroutine long ball over the top, had briefly given Leeds fans hope of a first league \u00advictory against their \u00adfiercest rivals since 2002. But Cunha\u2019s \u00adfinish, in which he caught the Leeds\u2019 \u00adgoalkeeper, Lucas Perri, in no man\u2019s land, gave the visitors a point they probably deserved.<\/p>\n

Leeds\u2019 Dominic Calvert-Lewin falls over Ayden Heaven with Leny Yoro behind him. Photograph: Chris Radburn\/Action Images\/Reuters<\/p>\n

And for both teams? It was likely to feel like one point gained rather than two dropped. For Amorim and \u00adManchester United, it keeps them in touch with the Champions League scramble while for Leeds, they are now seven unbeaten and eight clear of the relegation zone after West Ham\u2019s implosion at Wolves<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we did well,\u201d Amorim said. \u201cWe improved a lot of things \u00adcompared to the last game. We \u00adcontrolled the hostility of the offence from Leeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Questions remain over what is happening at United off the field, with the flames fanned further by some remarkable post-match claims over a possible internal clash on transfer policy once again.<\/p>\n

But on an afternoon where there was little spark or drama on the field, he will likely view this as a decent enough point.<\/p>\n

As for Daniel Farke, his \u00addecision to switch to a 3-5-2 has been a \u00admasterstroke. But Leeds continue to look a side capable of pulling away from trouble, especially when you consider they were without the likes of Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Jayden Bogle, who have all been influential in their resurgence.<\/p>\n

Brenden Aaronson shoots to put Leeds ahead in the second half. Photograph: Alex Dodd\/EPA<\/p>\n

But with similar shapes and Amorim starting nine defensive-minded players, there was perhaps no surprise the two sides cancelled each other out throughout a routine opening 45 minutes. Cunha thought he had opened the scoring before Benjamin Sesko was flagged offside in the buildup, and United\u2019s only other chance was when Leny Yoro forced a save from Perri.<\/p>\n

At the other end, Dominic \u00adCalvert-Lewin\u2019s glancing header struck the post but neither side had done enough to stir their \u00adsupporters into life, or threaten to take control of proceedings. But after the break, things came to life \u2013 ignited\u00a0fully by Aaronson\u2019s \u00adwonderful finish after Heaven\u2019s \u00admishap allowed\u00a0the American to break through on goal.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Elland Road had come alive \u2013 but it had been stunned into silence once again three minutes later.<\/p>\n

Amorim called for Joshua \u00adZirkzee immediately after that Leeds goal, and his threaded ball allowed Cunha to finish well and level the scores. Sesko, whose own travails in front of goal continued here, then struck a Zirkzee cross wide to continue his own barren spell.<\/p>\n

He is still struggling in \u00adadjusting to the Premier League<\/a> and while Amorim offered a firm defence of the Slovenian afterwards, two goals in 17 games is \u00adanything but a healthy return.<\/p>\n

Leeds\u2019 best chance of a \u00adwinner came when the substitute Jo\u00ebl Piroe curled an effort just over Senne \u00adLammens\u2019 crossbar but in truth, a goal for either side would have likely been harsh\u00a0given the balance of play was so even.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of my lads,\u201d Farke reflected. \u201cTo face a side of the calibre of Man United, it\u2019s difficult and \u00adeveryone tells you it\u2019s the most important game for Leeds.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s lots of expectation and I\u2019m very proud of the mentality of my players.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Few of the near 40,000 that flooded the Elland Road terraces would have cared to admit it given…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":391829,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[563],"tags":[64,63,596,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-391828","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/391828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=391828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/391828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/391829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=391828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=391828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=391828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}