Cunha Strikes to Earn Manchester United a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues 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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points 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 matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few 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 through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside 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 a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
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 suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
