Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling 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 contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star 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 United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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 young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced 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 striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling 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.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
