Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided 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 four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
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 swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim'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 experienced 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 much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling 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 Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck 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, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, 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 progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
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 Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
