At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, 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, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
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 experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in 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 substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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 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 instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating 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 Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough 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 their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke 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 overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA 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.
