Shota Arveladze looking at bigger picture as grinding Hull City extend unbeaten start with draw at Preston

The Tigers backed up a fortuitous but nevertheless hard-earned 2-1 win over Bristol City on the opening day with a grinding goalless draw at Preston.

A battling draw preserves Hull’s unbeaten start to the season with Georgian Arveladze enjoying a strong opening to his first full campaign in English football.

He said: “Four points from our first two games of the season is definitely a big positive for us to take away from today. It is definitely a good thing for us.

“It is too early to talk about anything else within the season that is for certain. But we are in a positive place and we just want to keep on getting better.

“The next game comes around very quickly for us now, we only have one or two nights to prepare. As soon as we have our next session, we need to focus on the next match, which is a cup game.

“We know that we need fresh legs in the squad, however, we have tough boys in this squad, but we need to keep on it.

“We have picked up a few injuries today, and that will need to be looked at, but I am pleased to get this result.”

Tottenham loanee Troy Parrott was the bright spark for Preston in a stop-start opening in Lancashire, as the Republic of Ireland international’s cushioned pass was almost steered home by strike partner Emil Riis Jakobsen, before his dangerous whipped cross was superbly cleared away by the Hull back line.

Despite struggling to make any real inroads in the opening half hour, the visitors did begin to edge themselves into the contest before the break, with Jacob Greaves heading Benjamin Tetteh’s cross narrowly wide, and full-back Lewie Coyle striding forward to fire a long-range effort over the bar. Driven on by Parrott’s inventiveness, and Daniel Johnson’s energy in midfield, Preston continued to carry all of the attacking threat as the second half wore on, with Jakobsen stooping to head Brad Potts’ cross wide of the upright.

Preston stayed on the front foot in the closing stages, as Hull dug in deep for a draw, Parrott’s dink over Ingram hooked off the line by Jacob Greaves.

Preston North End: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Whiteman, Potts (Fernandez 66), Johnson (Woodburn 79), Browne, Brady, Parrott, Jakobsen. Unused substitutes: Bauer, McCann, Ledson, Cornell, O’Neill.

Hull City: Ingram, A Jones, T Figueiredo, Greaves, Coyle, Seri (Williams 85), Slater, Sayyadmanesh, Tufan (Cannon 81), Tetteh (Elder 59), Estupinan (Covil 59). Unused substitutes: McLoughlin, Wilks, Robson.

Referee: J Simpson (Lancashire).