Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin watches a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a well-placed strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points 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 matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards 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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
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 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 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 Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
