It wasn't a classic by any means, but the Manchester derby exploded into life late on when United midfielder Marouane Fellaini was given his marching orders after headbutting City striker Sergio Aguero.

The Belgian international hounded the diminutive forward twice. He picked up a yellow card for his first challenge before giving away a cheap foul with another, but a clash of heads earned him a straight red.

After the game, Mourinho felt that Fellaini had been gamed by the Argentinian and that he had overreacted to the clash of heads, but despite that, it wasn't what annoyed him the most about the outcome.

United desperately needed the three points to jump above their neighbours and though a draw wasn't the worst result in the world, it certainly has set them back slightly in their attempts to reach the top four.

With a number of injuries to key men blighting his squad, this quest has been made all the more difficult and Mourinho, clearly wary of losing more of his talented squad, was disappointed with the lack of protection the referee offered Marcus Rashford.

The 19-year-old had been on the receiving end of a number of robust challenges from several of City's players, and Mourinho was visibly annoyed on the sidelines. 

At one point he was seen laying into the fourth official after Vincent Kompany fouled the youngster off the ball. saying "he's right" as he attempted to calm Rashford down.

Gabriel Jesus, who was introduced as a late substitute, even got in on the act and upended Rashford in another challenge that went unpunished, and Mourinho was critical of the man in the middle for not protecting his player.

"We had two good chances to score," Mourinho said as per the Manchester Evening News.

"Marcus gave lots of problems to their defenders, they stopped him sometimes with lots of fouls, so for me the spirit was amazing and the first-half was really good.

"In the second they were stronger than us and in spite, we coped very well defensively we didn't create them problems in attack and we allowed them to feel they could win, be more offensive and play in our half.

"In the crucial period of the game where I have no players to change in midfield because I don't have a midfield player on the bench, we lose Marouane and then for 15 minutes we play for 10, we fight for the point in a brilliant way. They had more ball, they had more chances but I have to defend the spirit of my players and they were amazing the way they fight, so I'm really pleased."

"They had more ball, they had more chances but I have to defend the spirit of my players and they were amazing the way they fight, so I'm really pleased."

Mourinho's comments about the officials are usually met with derision, but in this instance, he seems to have a case.