Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds 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 four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin 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, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
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 have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving 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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
