At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team 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 Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home 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 injury and national team commitments.
Not that 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 United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate'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 late on.
The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games 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 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 previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, The home delirious 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 suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
