At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford 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 introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed 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 games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team'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 campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle 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 quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' 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 poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 home tie.
