Frankie McAvoy had only one regret after denying old club Norwich City a Championship win in his first outing as Preston’s interim coach.

McAvoy has stepped up after the departure of Alex Neil and got his reign off to a positive start with Brad Potts’ 95th minute deflected equaliser.

Emi Buendia opened the scoring in the first half at Deepdale, and how much room the Argentine ace was given to cut infield and curl a shot past Daniel Iversen angered McAvoy.

“The one thing we were really disappointed with was we worked all week trying to make sure we show them outside the pitch,” he said. “Not the inside and obviously Buendia manages to come in and score.

“That’s where they like to operate, so that was the reason for us setting up in the 4-1-3-2 formation, to try and make it as difficult as we could for them when they had it, and when we had it, we could be a threat going forward, getting down the sides and getting opportunities and chances.

“We knew Norwich were going to create against us, we knew that, so the task was, ‘Let’s see what we can do against them.’ When opportunities and chances come our way, can we be clinical enough to take one of them?

“Overall, there are some bits I’m really pleased with, some bits that we really need to brush up on. Endeavour, commitment, hunger and desire – all the things you ask for – they gave it in abundance. When you’ve got that, you’ve got a chance.”

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McAvoy knows he has to pick up results for a shot at the permanent job.

“Being brutally honest, I was kicking and heading every ball. It’s just at times you need to compose yourself,” he said. “The one thing I knew was I wanted the players, the squad that played, everybody, just to leave everything on the pitch. ‘Don’t leave anything that you regret when you come off the pitch.’ If you’ve given everything and you lose the game, then you’ve obviously lost to the better team.

“They gave everything, right to the 95th minute, and that’s the type of attitude, commitment, endeavour, camaraderie, the workmanship – that’s what they need. Hopefully people have seen that but that’s what they’ve got.

“Confidence is a big thing at times, maybe when you’re not winning, but they showed there that they’re in it together and let’s go and try to win as many games as we can.”