Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued 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-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker 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 close range.
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 Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, The home 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 the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
