At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager'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.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team'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 season.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than 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 young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
