At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
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 visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, 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 blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability 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, the boss has limited 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 assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred 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 young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling 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 typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned 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 tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
