Preston North End took a point from Carrow Road as the Lilywhites and Norwich City played out a goalless draw.

The Canaries had the better of the chances in the first half through Marcelino Núñez, while Brad Potts and Ben Whiteman came close for North End in the second period.

PNE’s No.4 was denied only by the woodwork, before the hosts had arguably the best opportunity of the day in the 76^th minute through Liam Gibbs, but he put wide from close range.

Four changes were made to the team beaten by QPR a week ago, with Ali McCann, Jack Whatmough, Liam Millar and Potts all coming in to start.

It was a quiet opening to the match with most of the action being played in the middle of the park, but Núñez had the first real chance of the afternoon in the 14^th minute, whistling a low strike just past the post.

The midfielder then struck a wild effort over the bar ten minutes later, before Freddie Woodman came up with a big stop to prevent Onel Hernandez opening the scoring as he raced through one-on-one, and Whatmough tidied up well to put behind.

Liam Lindsay was required on the half-hour mark to block Christian Fassnacht’s low strike off the goal-line, while the defender was also busy helping his side defend a flurry of corners during the half.

North End’s only real sniff in the opening 45 came from the pressing Alan Browne who gambled on some indecisiveness between Angus Gunn and Shane Duffy, but the hosts did just about manage to clear.

Ten minutes into the second half, skipper Browne sent a dangerous free-kick into a promising area where Potts rose to flick a header a matter of inches past the post.

North End’s right wing back then came even closer moments later as he excellently brought Whatmough’s floating pass down before his left-footed snapshot rose just too high.

On 63 minutes, the woodwork was the only thing in the way of the Lilywhites taking the lead when Whiteman hit a first-time effort agonisingly against the woodwork from 12 yards.

PNE were defending well at the back to hold on to their clean sheet, with Whatmough coming up with some big blocks, but the visitors got away with one in the 76^th minute when substitute Gibbs placed an effort wide from a central position, just 12 yards out.

Browne then superbly got himself in the way of a goalbound Shane Duffy header to all but seal the clean sheet and point.

North End maybe could have even nicked it in the second minute of additional time when Robbie Brady’s cross fell at the feet of Whatmough just a few yards out, but he couldn’t quite connect and the danger was dealt with.

Norwich City line-up: Gunn; Stacey (Fisher, 72), Duffy, McClean, Giannoulis (Placheta, 81); Fassnacht (Gibbs, 56), Sara, Núñez, Hernandez (Sainz, 72); Barnes (Rowe, 56), Idah. Subs not used: Long, McCallum, Batth, Forshaw.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Whatmough, Lindsay; Potts, Whiteman, McCann (Ledson, 88), Hughes (Brady, 88); Evans, Browne; Millar (Holmes, 63). Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Keane, Frøkjær, Woodburn, Best.

Attendance: 25,761 (504 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr O Langford.