Cunha Scores to Secure Manchester United a Point at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- Leeds extend their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor 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-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
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.
However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile 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 Leeds 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 the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to skipper 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 absent players 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 season.
But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: 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 hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park 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 cup journey with a home tie.