At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha levels 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 continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
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 the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, 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 matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, 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 heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair 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 clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable 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 expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
