At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later 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 Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving 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 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 extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, 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 short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire 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 heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss 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 Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival
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 moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic 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 endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a Premier League 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 Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
