Matheus Cunha Finds the Net to Snatch Man Utd a Draw at Leeds.
Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor 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.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid 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 four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team'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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts 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 Manchester United.
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 campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
Leeds 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 Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.