Key Moments
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin 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 matter of hours, squandered.
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's 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 preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough 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 much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.