Matheus Cunha Finds the Net to Earn Man Utd a Draw at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' 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 damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts 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 spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, 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 blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift 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 absent players 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, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts 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 rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, 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 campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
