Two quick-fire goals towards the end of the second half meant that Manchester United walked away from Elland Road with all three points.
Marcus Rashford made it two headers in two games against the Whites when he gave the away side the lead in the 80th minute after a brilliant ball in from Luke Shaw.
Substitute Alejandro Garnacho doubled their lead just five minutes later when he found the back of the net with help from the post, wrapping up the game and moving United up into second place for now.
Managerless Leeds had plenty of opportunities in the game but failed to convert them, meaning that they are still yet to win a game this side of the World Cup.
They sit just one point above the relegation zone in 17th place, with the possibility of dropping down to 18th if Everton beat an out-of-form Liverpool side at Anfield on Monday.
Here are some of the main takeaways from Elland Road:
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Leeds need to start taking their chances if they want to stay in the league
Yet again Leeds had more shots than their opponents but it is them who come away with zero points. They had great opportunities to take the lead, specifically in the first half, but poor finishing let them down again.
This was the third game in a row that Patrick Bamford started up top in the absence of Rodrigo, showing how much Leeds miss the Spaniard.
Since all the injuries, Bamford looks like a depleted player and he showed this again with his poor touches and lethargic performance.
He was subbed off before the hour mark and replaced by the clubs record signing and 20-year-old Georginio Rutter.
The £35m pound man may see chances come more regularly, perhaps even finding himself in the starting eleven as he tries to replace Bamford as the main man up front whilst Rodrigo is sidelined.
Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville have provided plenty of chances in recent weeks, making a change up top very much needed to avoid more opportunities being squandered.
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Leeds need to appoint a manager ASAP
With 16 games remaining for the Whites, the board need to act quickly and find a manager to replace Jesse Marsch.
Despite the Leeds hierarchy saying they are in negotiations to find a new manager, the under-23's boss Michael Skubala took charge of both games against Manchester United, without any news of someone being appointed.
However, his team have proven that they have the quality to stay up and compete with the big teams in this division, making a swift appointment a smart one if they want to avoid the drop.
Potential candidates for the job include Rayo Vallecano's Andoni Iraola, Feyenoord's Arne Slot, Nuno Espírito Santo and the caretaker manager himself Skubala.
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Marcus Rashford is inevitable
Since his return from the World Cup, the Englishman has been in fine form, scoring six goals and assisting one in nine league games
His brilliant header from Luke Shaw's cross gave the Red Devils the lead, putting them on their way to three points and making it two goals in one week for United's star man.
He may have been quiet at Elland Road but he pops up with the important goals when his team need it most, contributing hugely as they try and mount a title challenge of their own.
He is now the first man on the team sheet and a vital player in Erik Ten-Hag's team, something that was not expected when he came in following Rashford's poor run of form.
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United have the depth to challenge
Despite missing key players such as Casemiro, Antony and Christian Eriksen, United managed to grind out a win away from home.
Questions were raised over Fred's mid week performance and whether or not they could cope without Casemiro.
However, Fred put in a man of the match performance and played a key role in the centre of the park, winning the ball back and adding energy into the team.
In addition, Garnacho and Sabitzer stepped up and proved why they deserved a place in the team, giving Ten-Hag plenty to think about when he has a fully fit squad available to choose from.