At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided 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 four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with 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 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 contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball 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 Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
