Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, 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 matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, 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 attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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 Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous 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 struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
