At a Glance
The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.
The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.
Not that the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.
Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United 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 impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.
Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team'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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.
He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.
True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.
Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
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