At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League 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 Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
