Matheus Cunha Scores to Secure Manchester United a Share of the Spoils at Elland Road.
At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson puts the hosts ahead with a low strike in the second half.
- Matheus Cunha equalises only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best Premier League undefeated streak since 2001.
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
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 matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution 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, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive 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 new signing.
Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality 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, 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 difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park 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 home tie.
