At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation 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.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach 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 attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance 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 Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
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 struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club 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 Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
