Matheus Cunha Scores to Secure Man Utd a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson puts the home side ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- Leeds continue their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several 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 lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance 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 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 captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim'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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability 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 the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
