Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point extends 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 relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager'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.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair 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, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality 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, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
