Pep Guardiola apologised to his Manchester City substitutes for deciding against making any changes in the comfortable derby win at Manchester United.
City took a two-goal lead in the first half against United that they completely dominated, and were untroubled in a quiet second half where they easily saw out another derby win at Old Trafford.
Guardiola's men were relentless before the break, and professional after it to ensure United never got close to taking the points from this derby clash, allowing City to open up a six-point lead over their neighbours.
So comfortable were City in the second half, Guardiola declined to make any substitutions in the second half as the Blues saw out the three points with little resistance.
Explaining his decision to stick with the players who started for the full game, Guardiola admitted he felt sorry for those players on the bench who were seen warming up on the touchline throughout the second half.
"I'm so sorry," he told Sky Sports.
"I don't like to not use them. The game was 2-0, everything was comfortable, I felt to not change anything today."
Reflecting on the game in general, Guardiola told BBC Sport that possession was the key to ensuring United were always kept at arm's length and their supporters remained quiet.
"Massive compliment to the players, they are the real artists for the way we played," he said.
"To come here at Old Trafford, our rivals of the city, our neighbours and play the way we played was really good. Against them you want to attack quicker than you have to attack and if you don't finish the attack you will be attacked much, much quicker and that is where they are so good.
"That is why we needed a game with a thousand million passes. We need a game like with the ball in the fridge, keep it there.
"When you make a build-up and break the lines and don't finish then Cristiano, Rashford, Greenwood are there. We have to avoid that, and how do we do that? With the ball in our pocket. And to make an extra pass. We did it.
"When you have the ball you silence the stadium. I played once or twice here when they were better and said wow, the spectators support. But the best way to silence them is OK, give me the ball and play, play, play - don't let them run. When they don't have the ball they suffer like all talented teams. To see a team still running together.
"They tried [to respond in the second half] but could not do it, why? Because we had the ball."
