Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile 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 the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United 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 his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends 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 matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's squad.
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 campaign.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money 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 a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
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 atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke 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.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
