Pep Guardiola was unimpressed by Manchester City's "boring" 2-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round, claiming: "The only good news is we go through."

City battled to victory against their League Two neighbours at the Etihad Stadium, with Alfie Dorrington's own goal opening the scoring in the sixth minute before Marc Guehi's first goal for the club secured their passage late on.

But it was a far cry from City's third-round victory over Exeter City last month, when they ran out 10-1 victors over third-tier opponents after a ruthless display.

Guardiola's side had 19 shots overall, worth 2.4 expected goals (xG), but only got four on target as Omar Marmoush also had a strike disallowed for offside.

City have now won their last 17 FA Cup games at the Etihad, equalling their longest home winning streak in the competition's history.

But Guardiola did not take particular pride in City's performance on Saturday.

"After 2-0 [it was better]. We didn't read the spaces where they were. Always the spaces we attack depends on where we defend, and we didn't read it," Guardiola said.

"We have to spend a lot of time to make the process quicker and better. The only good news is we go through.

"It would be nice to say that mentally we're exhausted, but this is our job, and we have to do what we have to do.

"We didn't read the spaces, that's why everything was flat and slow, and it was not good. That's why it was boring."

City did not have it all their own way against Salford, despite the visitors creating just 0.4 xG from their six shots.

Ben Woodburn and Kelly N'Mai both forced James Trafford into great saves on either side of the break, as Salford threatened an equaliser.

"I knew I wasn't going to have too much to do but when I was called upon, I had to do well," said Trafford.

Trafford has been limited to a backup role since Gianluigi Donnarumma arrived late in the summer transfer window, and he is simply determined to take every chance he gets.

"It was nice [to play], it wasn't what I expected coming into the season," the former Burnley man said.

"I tried to guard against it. It's the reality, and I have to give it my best shot. It's the situation I’m in. We train every day, but making saves, it's good fun.

"It's one of them, it's a knockout competition. We won, and we have a week until the next game. We have to keep going."