Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Cunha levels only 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 Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth 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 you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international 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 solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds 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 Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
