Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds 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 Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
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 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: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer 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, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult 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, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
