Pep Guardiola had no complaints about the tactics of Manchester United after his team were held to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad.
The result left City fourth in the Premier League, one point ahead of fifth-placed United in a tight battle for Champions League qualification.
City dominated for large spells of the game but were unable to force a winner, as Mourinho’s team defended in numbers and looked to hit the hosts on the counter.
He said: “I’m pretty sure United came here to try to win the game. I think I never met one team, one opponent, one player who start to play a game thinking we’re not going to win the game.
“We have tried to monopolise the ball, a little bit Latin style. We played to win the game, we were not able. It’s one point and the big fight will be on until the Watford game.
“I’m not here to judge what my opponents want to do, it would not be respectful.
“We made absolutely everything, not just in the last few minutes of 10 v 11. We tried but it was not enough again.”
Jose Mourinho suggested he felt Sergio Aguero exaggerated after United's Marouane Fellaini was sent off for headbutting the City striker in a fiery derby.
United midfielder Fellaini was dismissed six minutes from the end of a frantic goalless draw against Manchester City after spectacularly losing his composure.
The Belgian was booked for tripping Aguero and then committed the same offence less than a minute later. Frustration then got the better of him as he headbutted Aguero and referee Martin Atkinson showed a straight red card.
United boss Mourinho said: “I don’t know because I didn’t watch. I have just three details.
“Marouane says it was a red card because he is Marouane, Martin Atkinson told me in his opinion it was a red card but I saw Aguero in the tunnel — no broken nose, no broken head, his face is as nice as always.
“So, I am not so sure. I think if Sergio doesn’t go to the floor, for sure it is not a red card. But if Marouane gave him the chance to do that... I don’t know.
“What I know is we played 15 minutes with 10 and the boys were absolutely amazing in the way they fought for the point.”
Mourinho added of the sending off in his post-match interview on Sky Sports 1: ”I didn’t watch but probably I can guess it’s a bit of a red card and that it’s a bit of a very experienced, smart Argentinian player.”
Opposite number Guardiola, who has a long-standing rivalry with Mourinho, refused to get drawn into a war of words with his old adversary.
The City manager said: “Next question. I’m not going to talk at my press conference about an action that was in the last minutes — it did nothing to change the game — so nothing.
“In that situation, don’t talk to me, speak with (Premier League referees’ chief) Mike Riley or the referees. The decision is the referee’s, not mine. I don’t want to talk about the referees — they take the decision, speak with them.
“I didn’t see the action on TV and I was far away.”
Despite City’s chances, Mourinho felt his side performed creditably on the night, especially in defence.
Asked if it was a fair result, the Portuguese said: “I think so because of our amazing spirit and our very good first half, when we easily controlled the game.
“We controlled the defensive part of the game and were always dangerous on the counter-attack.
“In the second half I think they were stronger than us. We coped defensively but we didn’t create problems in attack and we allowed them to feel they could win.”
