At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular 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.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted 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 drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper 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 solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
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 entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
