Chances for either side were at a premium - though United struck the bar minutes from time - in a game that never really caught fire.
That said, the Blues won’t be too disappointed to take a point off their old rivals, particularly as City were far from their best in a dull but productive encounter.
Vincent Kompany returned to the heart of the City defence at the expense of Eliaquim Mangala and Jesus Navas made way for Fernando as Manuel Pellegrini made two changes from the side that beat Sevilla in midweek.
A win for either side would see them leapfrog Arsenal to the summit of the table so the scene was set for an explosive 170th Manchester derby.
The first half, however, was anything but explosive with neither keeper troubled and both defences on top.
It was a war of attrition with neither side able to carve out any meaningful chances and City’s counter-attack threat rarely able to cause any real concern
...United v City...
Yaya Toure and Raheem Sterling had half-chances, but the majority of action was in the middle of the pitch, with the Blues probably marginally shading the opening period.
It was United who started the second period more brightly and the hosts should have gone ahead when Chris Smalling’s rose above Kompany to head the ball across the face of the City goal and Morgan Schneiderlin was inches away from connecting. It was a warning shot for the visitors to keep their focus or pay the price.
Sterling was replaced shortly after by Navas just before the hour as Pellegrini tinkered with his formation, switching Kevin De Bruyne from right to left, but it was United who continued to probe with greater menace.
Hart raced from his line on 62 minutes when Juan Mata chased a through ball and it was the City keeper who won the race and swept the ball clear.
The longer the game continued, the more it looked as though one moment of brilliance for either side could settle what had been a largely uneventful derby and when Martin Demichelis replaced Toure on 77 minutes and Iheanacho came on for Bony a few minutes later, it felt like one last throw of the dice by the Blues’ boss - either that or an attempt secure the draw.
Either way, the Blues were lucky to escape a gut-wrenching late goal when Anthony Martial’s chip found Jesse Lingard free in the box and he volleyed the ball past Hart and onto the bar - it was a lucky escape.
Then, at the other end, a Kolarov free-kick was almost bundled home by the impressive Nicolas Otamendi who was inches away from connecting in the six-yard box.
Moments later Hart kept out a Chris Smalling effort as the game entered its liveliest phase, but there was to be no last-minute winner for either side as time finally ran out on a rare goalless meeting of the Manchester clans.
