The Whites could yet be relegated from the Premier League but Pascal Struijk stepped off the bench to supply a well-needed dose of joy to the Elland Road faithful in the final home game of the season.
LS11 was drenched in relief as Struijk's stoppage-time header cancelled out Danny Wellbeck's first-half strike to earn United a point and give them the advantage over Burnley in the fight to survive relegation from the top flight
After their Turf Moor rivals lost their game in hand to Tottenham Hotspur in the lunchtime kick-off, the way was paved for Leeds to climb above the dreaded dotted line and set a result for the Clarets to match or better in their upcoming midweek visit to Aston Villa.
Graham Smyth, the YEP's chief football writer, hands out the scores from another dramatic day at Elland Road.
1. Illan Meslier
6 - Distribution wasn't what it needed to be at times. Made a few stops.
2. Robin Koch
5 - Lots of effort and heart, if not always the quality that was needed. Caught out of position a few times at right-back.
3. Diego Llorente
4 - Culpable for the goal, struggled in possession in the first half with aimless long balls.
4. Liam Cooper
6 - Reasonably solid again. Kept his head, kept battling, made some big tackles.
5. Junior Firpo
6 - One of his better displays, against a side he struggled against in November. Some nice passing, alongside some not so good moments.
6. Kalvin Phillips
6 - Struggled in the first half but stayed in the game and had more influence in the second.