Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach 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 home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing 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 fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick 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 Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of the club'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 trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's 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 thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
