Cunha Strikes to Secure Manchester United a Draw at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard 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 contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest 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 opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team'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 suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to achieving 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.