Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says he dropped Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for the Manchester derby due to "selection" reasons rather than injury or illness.
The forwards were omitted from United's 20-player matchday squad for their 2-1 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Rashford played 56 minutes of Thursday's 2-1 Europa League comeback win against Viktoria Plzen while Garnacho was introduced as an 81st-minute substitute.
But rather than feature against neighbours City in the Premier League, the pair instead trained at the team's training ground on Sunday morning.
Asked to explain the decision to omit Rashford and Garnacho, United boss Amorim told Sky Sports: "Selection.
"We try to evaluate everything - training, performance, game performance, engagement with the teammates, push the teammates up.
"Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players, so it was my selection. Simple.
"I don't want to send a message (to the dressing room with this). It's simply an evaluation, and they know it.
"The players are really, really smart and so everybody understands my decision and I have to choose. It's just a simple selection.
"Of course the context is difficult - we have to win games and we have a difficult situation now.
"But, like I said, I pay attention to everything - the way you eat, the way you put on your clothes to go the game. Everything.
"I make my evaluation and then I have to decide. I have a lot of players to choose (from) and today I did my choice."
A United source told the PA news agency that Garnacho's absence has nothing do with allegations about team leaks, but his absence along with that of Rashford provides more questions than answers.
"It's the same all the time and they all understand," Amorim said of how the pair found out.
"There's a communication that after the last training is going to the WhatsApp, and then they receive the information. But they are alright, they had training this morning.
"I was there because it's important for every player… even Jonny Evans because Jonny Evans also (trained) and Toby (Collyer) was there and everything was OK. They trained really well."
Following United's victory, Amorim added: "It was nothing special. New week, new life. If they train well, they will compete for a place in the team, if they are better than the other guys in all the situations, inside and outside the pitch.
"They are really talented and we need Garna and Rash a lot. It was not a disciplinary thing. It's just that we have to improve our standards. They will get used to this."
Neville backs Amorim's decision to drop Rashford and Garnacho
Sky Sports' Gary Neville:
"The rest of the dressing room would have been thinking you've left our two of our best players at home but when you win, you're empowered as a manager.
"He's mentioned engaging with team-mates, he's mentioned standards, he's given us emphatic clues as to what's happened in the last few days. He's thought he's not having, not accepting it and good on him. For far too long we've seen players mope around that pitch and still continue to get a game.
"It's got to be non-negotiable, if you don't give you all in your job, you're gone you're out. We've seen Rashford and Garnacho for years stand on the left and right wing, not chase back when full-backs have gone past them and keep their place in the team. No more.
"I want Rashford and Garnacho to come back stronger, take the message they've been given by training on a Sunday morning when no one else is there in the right spirit and become the very best players for Manchester United."
Keane: Rashford omission not a surprise
Sky Sports' Roy Keane said of Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford's omissions: "It is a big call.
"He has obviously seen something he doesn't like. But for those who have watched Manchester United recently, it's not a big surprise because both players have been poor. He has said 'Enough is enough'.
"It's a big call, but I like to see it - he has put down a marker. A move for Marcus [Rashford] would suit the player - a new challenge for him. He's been there a long time. When you're at a big club and your attitude is not right - and it hasn't been great recently - sometimes it's good to part ways."
Micah Richards added: "It's sad for a local boy in Rashford who is supposed to be the talisman for this team... to see the way his career has materialised over the last couple of years.
"We saw he had a couple of good seasons and thought now is the time for him to be the leader, and then now to not be involved in the derby you imagine he's heartbroken.
"There's a player in there but it can't help that the manager is always changing. It's a sad story for a player of that quality.
"It's different for Rashford. He's got the world on his shoulders. It seems to be like there's a bigger problem than just football."
