Cunha Finds the Net to Earn Manchester United a Point at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha responds only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their longest top-flight undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with 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 visiting 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 ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.
The point prolongs Leeds' 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 opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven 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 missing pair are the answer 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 limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming 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 new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' 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.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.