Cunha Finds the Net to Earn Manchester United a Draw at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second period.
- Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds extend their best top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about 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 struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
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 season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
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 bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare 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.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
