Matheus Cunha Scores to Earn Man Utd a Draw at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, 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 games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, 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, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
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 comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other 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 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.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer 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 Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
