At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin watches a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American'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 combination of injury and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length 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 finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival
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 instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park 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.
