At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money 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 Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer 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, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run 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 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 struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
