Key Moments
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home 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 introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian'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 fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving 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 impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain 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 missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's 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 Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical 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 struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
