At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
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 extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
