Manager Simon Grayson is satisfied with his side’s unbeaten start to the new season, but feels there is a lot of work to be done.
The North End boss has overseen three league games with no goals conceded and progress in the Capital One Cup and feels that the team have given themselves a platform to further improve from.
“We’re very pleased with the start to the season,” he said ahead of the visit of Ipswich Town to Deepdale. “You see the bigger picture as well – not just the points tally - how we have performed, what we have done well and what we can improve upon; we looking into everything.
“The pleasing thing so far is not only to have the points, but also to have three clean sheets and we have looked like we could score in all the games.
“There is a long way to go and a lot of work to be done but we have given ourselves something to build off and hopefully we can keep producing performances like we have done.”
Mick McCarthy’s visitors sit at the top of the pile after three games and this isn’t something that has surprised Grayson: “You know what Mick is going to be about with his team. They are top of the table and therefore it doesn’t come any harder at this stage of the season.
“We have a tough week coming up with Ipswich and Hull who are first and second on consecutive weekends and a Premier League team in the Cup, but that’s what we worked hard for last year, to be involved in these games.
“Mick’s teams are always hard-working and disciplined and they were in the Play-Offs last year and will want to go one step further, so we know we are in for a tough test.
“As I have said before, I am sure Mick will have looked at what we have done so far, what we did last year and what match-winners we have in one team that can hurt them as well.
“It is a tough game, but we are going to test ourselves to see if we can keep improving, getting better game by game.”
The Suffolk side’s boss has been productive in the summer transfer market, but the PNE gaffer feels his best bit of business might have been keeping the Championship’s top scorer last season, Irish international forward Daryl Murphy.
“Mick knows the market well and with Tyrone Mings moving to Bournemouth for £8m, that is probably a good move for Mick, as it is probably giving him money to strengthen his squad.
“They have brought in the likes of Brett Pittman and Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth and Jonathan Douglas from Brentford, as well as keeping Daryl Murphy, which is big business for them.
“Mick knows the division and knows what they have to do to be competitive and do well, so there are no surprises in what we can expect from them.”