Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager 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-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds 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 mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect 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 struggling 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 prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated 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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately 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 big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's 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 home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds 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 improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club 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 Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
