Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American'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 the hosts 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 spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling 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 match, also fired against a post late on.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer 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 few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League 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 entering their cup journey with a home tie.
