Matheus Cunha Finds the Net to Snatch Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha responds just three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian'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 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.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling 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 blasted against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, 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, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution 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, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive 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 nine games 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 fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile 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 isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.