At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian'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 mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impression, 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 in the dying moments.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated 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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
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 instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
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.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club 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 Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
