Manuel Pellegrini does not want defensive Manchester City

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini was pleased with a point in a dull Manchester derby at Old Trafford but stressed that he does not enjoy seeing his side play defensively.

United had the two best chances when Jesse Lingard hit the crossbar and Joe Hart saved from Chris Smalling.

Pellegrini said: "I am satisfied with a point but I don't like to play in this way. It's easy to play that way.

"If we want to defend, we can. We don't like to, we are an attacking team."

The previous 10 Manchester derbies in all competitions had seen 41 goals scored but a goalless draw always looked likely in a cagey game.

Jesus Navas had the first shot on target in the 82nd minute, though Lingard was unfortunate to see his looped effort hit the bar late on.

"It's important to have a point here, another point in the table, but I don't think it's the way the team must play," Pellegrini said.

Substitute Jesse Lingard came closest to breaking the deadlock when his shot hit the crossbar.

"If you can't win it then don't lose it by not concentrating. Unfortunately for the fans it was not a very attractive game.

"It's not a bad day. It's always difficult to play here at United's stadium, it's difficult for every team. If we drew at home maybe I wouldn't be happy, but in this moment it's a good point, we concentrated well and defended well."

Hart, who kept his 100th Premier League clean sheet for City, also said that he doesn't want City to regularly play for a point.

"It's a performance that I'm glad we have in the locker but I'd prefer it if we didn't have to use it," he said.

"We came wanting three points but respect to Manchester United, we had to defend well and limited them to two half chances.

"We don't want praise, we want points. We are back on top of the league now and we can hopefully kick on."

'I'm sick of it'

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal felt his side were in control for the full 90 minutes and bemoaned a decision from referee Mark Clattenburg not to award them a penalty when Ander Herrera went down under a challenge from Raheem Sterling.

"It was a penalty when Herrera was fouled," he said.

"Sterling clearly doesn't touch the ball, he touches Herrera's legs but that is the luck we are having this season.

"I can imagine it is difficult for the referee to see and it is not a big issue but it is not the first time things have gone this was this season."

United's attack was laboured throughout, with Wayne Rooney losing possession 28 times and not having an effort on target, but Van Gaal refused to discuss his captain's performance.

"I have to talk about Rooney every week," he said.

"If you have an opinion then you must write it. I don't give any more answers about Wayne Rooney because I'm sick of it."