At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular 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 disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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 fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager'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 captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team'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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
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 struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious 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 endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
