At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing 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 several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Existing 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 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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately 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 evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
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 expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin 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 their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
