Cunha Finds the Net to Snatch Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward 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 home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, 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 chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations 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 Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club'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 alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team 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 FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
