At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided 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 fitness issues and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current 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 absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction 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 Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped 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 the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
