At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League 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 international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor 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 finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, 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, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming 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: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous 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 previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned 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 threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
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 campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team 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. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
