At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath advancing home 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix 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 United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point 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 chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence 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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
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 speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
