Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American'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 international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
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 struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim 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 absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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 memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality 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, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
