Lancashire

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom gave his view of his side's 2-2 draw against Hull City at the MKM Stadium.

North End went two goals up inside the opening 10 minutes courtesy of Thierry Small and Michael Smith, before two goals from Oli McBurnie led to the points being shared.

"I think overall it shows how far we've come, yet how far we've still got to go if we want to be a serious team," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The fact that we're so disappointed having come here, shows how far we've come.

"I'd give our defenders that situation to defend 99 times out of 100 and we'd get it right, that's why we're all disappointed in there,

"It's not all down to that. Second half we have more chances again because we're forced to play, Thierry (Small) is getting crosses into the box, which he didn't do in the first half, there's so many positives - the only negative is that we've not won the game."

Heckingbottom's side sit in sixth place on 13 points from their opening eight games, having lost just once in the league.

Despite their strong start to the Championship campaign, they have won just one of their past five league games following their EFL Cup defeat by Wrexham in August.

"We were sloppy with the ball to be honest, the first goal, and credit to the players because I thought we got a bit more control then and didn't panic and played our way back in because the crowd were up," added Heckingbottom.

"We gave them the first goal and then recovered well and passed the ball better towards the end so we were very good without the ball, and the players executed the game plan, were really clinical, ferocious without the ball, and were comfortable with Hull playing in front of us."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds

Following his wonder save against Bristol City, Daniel Iversen has been called Preston's best signing of the summer by former North End goalkeeper Alan Kelly.

Iversen brilliantly foiled Anis Mehmeti from close-range in added time to keep a clean sheet for his side in the 0-0 draw against the Robins.

Talking about the save, Kelly told BBC Radio Lancashire: "One thing that's critical is the time of the game - 95th minute, 0-0, you've conceded a lot of chances.

"He had made six saves already so he'd had a really good game and then you come down to that moment with Mehmeti, mercurial centre forward for Bristol, he skips into the box and for all intents and purposes when he sets his sights to strike, you think it's a goal all day long.

"I've said before, since they got Iversen in, the presence he has as a goalkeeper always puts a doubt in the striker's mind and he [striker] has to do a little bit more.

"He feels he has to maybe put more pace on it or bend it so all of these little nuances are coming to the fore.

"Mehmeti's hit the ball with his instep and you'll see a lot of goalkeepers sprawl their arms out, they'll throw their legs out - it'll go through them, it'll go under the arm, it'll go over the arm or past the hand.

"Right at the final minute, he has got enough about him to actually direct his hand towards the ball in that last, not even a split-second, it's less than that."

Kelly was at Deepdale on Saturday to see the save live.

"I was right behind it and everyone was almost groaning that it was going to hit the back of the net and then he produces that moment - he must have [felt] 10 feet tall," Kelly added.

"The belief he gives the team not just because of that save but because of his presence, his ability, his performances, is immense and you can't put it on a chart in terms of how many points it's going to win you in a season. I just think he is the best piece of recruitment Preston have done in the summer window."

Listen to more from Alan Kelly about Daniel Iversen on BBC Sounds.

Natalie Bromley
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Some seasons you absolutely flop. Other seasons you feel good, play well and enjoy an optimism that you might mount a survival challenge.

And in both of those seasons, you get battered away at Manchester City.

A moment for Maxim Esteve, who must have wanted the entire world to swallow up around him. One own goal is unfortunate. Two is horrible. There is simply no need for him to let this derail his focus and commitment to this season. He remains a firm fan favourite and you can guarantee the Turf Moor terraces will continue to echo with the sound of "Steeeeeve".

I thought Scott Parker handled the defeat very well. He has got such an eloquent way with words and handles the bad days with real humility. I want him to do well this season. I want him to stay with Burnley for a long time and build something special here. For a manager who hasn't had the best of times managing in the Premier League, he looks at home.

It wasn't the kindest weekend either in terms of results, and we find ourselves in the relegation zone once more. But to have four points when we've already played Spurs, Manchester United, Liverpool and City is great!

Thankfully, we now transition into a run of easier fixtures and the Clarets march on.

After all, it is not the first time we've conceded five goals at the Etihad.

Find more from Natalie Bromley at No Nay Never podcast, external

Rob Law
Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

I know Preston 0-0 Bristol City doesn't sound very exciting, but there's a lot to glean from the game on Saturday that should continue to give Preston fans reason to believe their impressive start to the campaign is more than just a flash in the pan.

As a team they defended brilliantly and right down to the last man. Bodies thrown to the turf to block incoming shots, lung-busting runs to recover when possession was lost and finally, a keeper named Daniel Iverson, who pulled off one of the saves of the season in the last kick of the game.

Paul Heckingbottom has built real fighting spirit within the squad, and it shows in every aspect of their performances this season.

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom won't rest on his laurels despite their positive start to the season.

The Lilywhites lie sixth in the Championship with 12 points from seven testing early fixtures, losing only once and boasting the division's joint-meanest defence.

They head to Hull City on Tuesday (19:45 BST) aiming for a third straight clean sheet following Saturday's goalless draw at home to Bristol City, ensured by Daniel Iversen's stunning last-gasp save to deny Anis Mehmeti a winner.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire the stalemate "was a good point against a good side", adding: "The margins are so fine, the mentality to stick in games is key.

"We've turned tight games in our favour; last season we didn't manage to do that.

"We had 20 draws and in a lot of those we were by far the better team. We could easily have lost at the end on Saturday, so these are good points to pick up."

He says the recipe for a successful season is hard work and trying to come out on top in tight encounters in an "ultra-competitive league".

"We were everyone's favourites to go down at the start of the season," he said. "I'm not expecting us to run away with games 3-0 or 4-0, I am expecting us to compete and do all we can to try to win games.

"Improvement only comes if you keep working hard and fight for those inches and those margins because that will determine where you end up at the end of the season ultimately - the bits we can control, big moments like Dan's save on Saturday."

Pol Valentin is out of Tuesday's game with a hamstring problem which forced him off against the Robins, but Daniel Jebbison is back after illness while there is still no word on the outcome of Milutin Osmajic's two-day disciplinary hearing - over allegations of racial abuse - last week.

"Hull are a dangerous team, they love crosses into your box, they don't have to play well to win," Heckingbottom added.

"We think we can hurt them and cause them problems, but they'll be thinking the same."

Click here for the full interview with BBC Radio Lancashire.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Burnley.

Here are some of your comments:

City fans

Gene: It's nice to see the crosses continually being sent with positive results. The defence still has some shaky moments but has definitely improved over last season thus far. A nice, hardworking performance which is building confidence.

Deano: A game of two halves. I felt City were too complacent after the first goal. A talking to with Pep at half time sharpened their focus in the second half and the rest is history.

Robert: Nice to see rhythm returning to City's game. A nice balance in the team. Haaland, Foden, Doku and the very underestimated Nunes were all excellent.

Warren: Not getting carried away just yet but promising signs that we are getting back to somewhere near our best with a new system. Doku has been excellent again.

Burnley fans

Graham: Burnley showed strength, skill, and determination to, yet again, come back from a poor start to draw level by half time. We missed the chance to get ahead just after the break but, having failed to do so, we should have shut up shop, and not tried to play City at open football. That may have been a commendable and brave tactic but, ultimately, it failed. This was not a 1-5 performance but that's what the score sheet reads!

Paul: The result doesn't define our season. The two injury time goals and the two own goals, considering the number of both types scored against us this season, are worrisome. But we will have easier matches and we will improve.

Andrew: How does a decent but small club like Burnley compete with billionaires?! I hope Burnley survive but they don't have the resources.