Manchester City reached the fifth round of the FA Cup with a far-from-convincing 2-0 win over League Two Salford.
Pep Guardiola's side thrashed their neighbours 8-0 last season but needed an early own goal from Alfie Dorrington and a late effort from Marc Guehi to prevail on this occasion at the Etihad Stadium.
Yet City, who made nine changes, did not need to be anywhere near their best.
Dorrington's unfortunate sixth-minute intervention robbed the contest of a lot of its intensity and City effectively went through the motions thereafter.
That did allow Salford to settle and former Liverpool midfielder Ben Woodburn forced a fine save from James Trafford before the interval.
But City were always able to keep the Ammies, who are part-owned by two former Manchester United players in Gary Neville and David Beckham, at arm's length.
Guehi came off the bench to end any prospect of a Salford shock by pouncing on a rebound for his first goal for the club nine minutes from time. Fellow substitute Antoine Semenyo also hit the post in the closing minutes.
Analysis from Your Site' Peter Stevenson:
"Job done for Guardiola's Manchester City who move on to far bigger tests in their pursuit of four trophies.
"But this was a tricky afternoon, make no mistake. Salford next face Newport in their League Two promotion push, and surely Karl Robinson's men will take huge heart from the way they handled themselves.
"Losing 2-0 after an 8-0 drubbing 13 months ago is impressive improvement."
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola:
"We didn't read the spaces where they were. With the spaces in attack it depends on how they defend it and we didn't read it.
"That is the reason why the game was boring. The only good news is we go through. That's all.
"It would be nice for me to say mentally we're exhausted, we're tired, it has been a tough two or three weeks for many reasons.
"But it's our job. The calendar says to play every few days.
"We just didn't read where the spaces were and everything was flat and slow and not good."
Paul Merson speaking on Soccer Saturday:
"Bar the last 10 minutes when City brought on the big boys and they got tired, up until that it tells you everything that they had to bring those players on.
"They were absolutely amazing. If they can take that form into the rest of the games in League Two, I'm sure they will get promoted.
"All of them played well. None of them had a nightmare. If you can come away having been beaten by eight last year and it's only two this year, that puts them in great stead."
