Cunha Finds the Net to Snatch Man Utd a Point at Elland Road.
Key Moments
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a early header ricochet off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the hosts ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious 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.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.
The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest 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 other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's future.
Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club 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 Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.
