At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form 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 Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United 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.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points 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 matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team'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 poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival 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 struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained 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 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 rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League 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 entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
