Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League 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 injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
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 Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best 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, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players 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 few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly 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 showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile 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 length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
