Match Summary
Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League 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 international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts 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 visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate'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 late on.
The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.
His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested 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, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.
However, there is a wider context 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.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their survival.
Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
Maya Chen is a freelance writer and urban enthusiast with a passion for documenting city life and cultural shifts.
