Matheus Cunha Strikes to Earn Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.
At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
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 struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened 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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
