At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, 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 substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
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 Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, 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 matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair 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 campaign.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
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 mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
