Preston’s Jordan Thompson kicks a bottle at the head of a Norwich fan

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement told BBC Radio Norfolk:

“We played a good first half with two good goals. We had a few other really good actions where we could have scored.

“The second half was more scrappy because of the way that Preston pressed and played one against one with a lot of duels and the moment we passed them, they made fouls and that stopped the game.

“You don’t get a game with fluent football. We had, for me, too many chances or half chances against us, mostly from set pieces and long balls and fights like that so that’s something to talk about for the next few days.

“It’s really good, the resilience that the team shows, keeping the clean sheet, winning at home again, again no goals against, scoring two good goals and having other good opportunities.

“So I think all our fans have to be really pleased about the mentality that the team is showing.”

Clement, per Sky Sports:

“To have got where we are today is a remarkable achievement from all the squad. We had nine points after 15 games and in the next 22 we have taken 42 points – that’s an amazing number.

“As I have said many times, it is my ambition to win every game and I want that same mentality from the players.

“I thought it was a good first half from us – we scored two good goals and played some good football against aggressive opponents.

“In the second half Preston came at us and it got a bit scrappy and I think the referee could have produced some yellow cards a bit earlier.

“But you can’t play sexy football all the time. Sometimes you need to find the solution to win a match, to fight for the result.

“So it was good to get through the second half with a clean sheet and come away with the three points.”

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire:

“Another tough one. We had a bright start and had the best chance of the game, and then a moment, a lapse in concentration. Odel[uga Offiah] was the correct side, they take the shot, Odel is the wrong side and we’re one down, which gets compounded by a referee decision.

“Those are the things that are costing us. But after a bright start, we knew that we were still in the game and we knew we’d made it hard for ourselves, but we responded in the right way.

“The big frustration is that we didn’t score. If we’d have taken any one of those chances, we’d have made it much more difficult for Norwich because we were the team in the ascendancy in terms of territory and chances in the second half, but we never made them feel that tension and anxiety that can come if we’d have got a goal.”

Heckingbottom, per Sky Sports:

“It’s another tough one to take. We had a big chance after six minutes and if that had gone in I think it would have been a different game.

“Then a lapse of concentration for their first goal and a referee’s decision for the second have proved very costly for us.

“To be honest I don’t know what constitutes a foul now because Jordan (Thompson) has won a header between two Norwich players, who have both gone down, and the referee awards a free-kick.

“We then responded in the right way and I enjoyed watching the way we played in the second half. But we couldn’t take one of our chances to make it more difficult for Norwich and that was disappointing.

“I am pleased with the attitude of the players – no-one took a backward step today. At the moment things aren’t going for us but no-one is feeling sorry for themselves.”