Matheus Cunha Finds the Net to Snatch Man Utd a Draw at Elland Road.
At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Cunha equalises just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving 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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations 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 attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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 young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
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 quality 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League 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 Old Trafford tie.