Cunha Strikes to Earn Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
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 prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven 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 unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately 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 natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.