At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
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.
However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish 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 four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim'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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
The home 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 clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving 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.
