Rio Ferdinand hailed the performance of Matheus Cunha after the Manchester United forward’s goal rescued a point against Leeds United.
Ruben Amorim’s depleted side looked set for another dispiriting result when Brenden Aaronson fired the home side ahead just after the hour mark when he capitalised on some ponderous defending from Ayden Heaven.
The under-fire United boss reacted immediately by introducing Joshua Zirkzee at the expense of defender Leny Yoro and that attacking change reaped almost immediatel dividends.
After neat build-up play involving Diogo Dalot and Benjamin Sesko, substitute Zirkzee threaded the perfect pass behind a flatfooted Leeds defence and Cunha was able to marry a smart run with an accurate finish.
In the absence of so many key forwards, including the likes of Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes, Cunha has accepted increased responsibility in recent weeks.
The summer signing from Wolves has seized the opportunity to take a leading role and Ferdinand has been impressed with his work rate as much as the silky, eye-catching touches.
He told his YouTube channel: ‘Cunha, he’s the one guy I look at and see something in the game always and go ‘that’s why you buy him’.
Metro at the Match: Leeds United 1-1 Man Utd
Metro breaks down the winners and losers from Manchester United's 1-1 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road.
Cunha steps up
Matheus Cunha has settled into life at Old Trafford well, but his equaliser against Leeds was just his fourth of the season. The Brazilian will need to continue in that vein, particularly with Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo all unavailable and Benjamin Sesko continuing to struggle.
Amorim makes a statement with Dorgu role
Amorim could have handed a rare start to Joshua Zirkzee in his front three, but instead chose to deploy Patrick Dorgu, nominally a left wing-back, as a right-sided No10. The Dane equipped himself well, but surely can't be a long-term solution for United's lack of quality in the final third.
Heaven shows his age
The young United defender was United's Player of the Month for December and showed many of those qualities with his assured first-half display. But a costly error to allow Brenden Aaronson to open the scoring shows the 19-year-old is far from the finished product just yet.
Man Utd match ratings: Lammens 6, Yoro 5, Heaven 6, Martinez 6, Dalot 5, Casemiro 7, Ugarte 5, Shaw 6, Dorgu 6, Cunha 7, Sesko 4. Subs: Zirkzee 6.
Calvert-Lewin continues to impress
Fast looking like one of the shrewdest free transfers of the summer window, Dominic Calvert-Lewin continued his impressive form against United.
The Englishman was touted as a potential target for the Red Devils over the summer, who might regret not taking a punt on his fitness. Unlucky not to get on the scoresheet when his first-half header came back off the post.
Leeds match ratings: Perri 6, Bornauw 6, Bijol 7, Struijk 8, Justin 7, Aaronson 7, Gruev 6, Stach 7, Gudmundsson 7, Calvert-Lewin 7, Okafor 7. Subs: Nmecha 6, Tanaka N/A, Gnonto N/A, Piroe N/A.
‘He holds people off at times, he gets you up the pitch with his ability to hold up the ball three or four seconds. Takes the sting out of it at times.
‘His run for the goal was brilliant and that’s why I love about the goal. From the back with Dalot playing through the lines, Sesko sets the ball, Cunha’s on his way and the through ball from Zirkzee.
‘That’s old school football. That was up, back, through. Old school and that won’t ever change. That’s a pattern that should be repeated in training all day long.’
Despite scoring the goal that rescued a draw, Cunha was unhappy after seeing a spectacular first half effort ruled out.
He said: ‘Honestly I don’t understand. I talked to the referee and I asked him ‘Who was offside’ and he said Ben [Sesko] I think but I don’t remember him participating in the action.
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‘It was Casemiro who gave the ball to me and then I shot so I’m not sure where Sesko is. For me it was a little bit frustrating.’
On United’s overall performance, he added: ‘It is easier to say that every game we want to win but of course after the draw against Wolves at Old Trafford three was a negative feeling and we wanted to change that, to come here and win, and to step into the top four.
‘Today the feeling is a little bit like this again, we wanted to win but we drew, so we need to go again.
‘I feel like the first half was ok. We talk in the dressing room about managing the press and we tried to do something but we did not create a lot.
‘In the second half we have the goal which I think was a lack of attention from everyone but we scored after three minutes and give ourselves energy to try to go for more.’
