Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker 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 finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop 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.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers 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 suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly 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 instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest 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 encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
