At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly 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.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 international duty.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United 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.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied 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 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic 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.
