At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha levels only three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their longest top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing Leeds 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 several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
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 fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach 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 forwards 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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered 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 five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds United Breakdown: 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 instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
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. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
