At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds 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 fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length 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 his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence 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 attacking options.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than 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 new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
