At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing 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 four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that 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 audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated 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 poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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 Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Old Trafford tie.
