At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts 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 Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, 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.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick 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 Amorim's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious 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 season, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
