The City boss told the club website: "I just think Leon Best wasn't in the right frame of mind to play today and that he should go away and have a little think about things over the weekend.
"When you've got lads giving their heart and soul I didn't think it was right to play a lad who had expressed a desire to leave the Club."
"I'll recommend to the Board that the transfer request is turned down, especially at the size of the offer as it is now, but I just thought it was right to leave the lad out of the team.
"Leon is a young lad and maybe he hasn't been advised properly. My view is we brought him in as a big player for this club and let's not go over the top because he's done great for us in some games this season, like at Blackburn a couple of weeks ago.
"He's a young man, he'll make some mistakes but I'm sure he'll come back and be better than ever for us."
Leon Best watched the game from the Main Stand this afternoon with his girlfriend, but is expected to return for the FA Cup tie against Millwall.
Leon Best in action