Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low finish in the second period.
- Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their best top-flight unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, 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 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 visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift 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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered 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 recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
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 clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.
The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
