Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting 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 impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, 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 options.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution 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 few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
