Frustrating shift for Tettey as City endure night to forget at Preston

The 32-year-old was making his first start in a month, after an ankle injury ruled Mario Vrancic out for three weeks, as the Canaries lost top spot in the Championship table with defeat at Deepdale.

Here's how Tettey's evening unfolded, as he reclaimed the captain's armband from Christoph Zimmermann...

1 – Ben Godfrey heads down and poor control from Tettey, hitting the ball over Tom Trybull's head to Paul Gallagher, eventually Teemu Pukki fouls Tom Barkhuizen wide on the left. Gallagher swings in and Ben Davies easily guides a header into the far side of the net.

5 – Wayward header from Trybull and Tettey just about keeps pace with Brad Potts, forcing him to turn backwards.

8 – Trybull loses the ball and Tettey is doubled up on by Alan Browne and Ben Pearson, Godfrey fouls Sean Maguire as they race for the loose ball.

12 – Prevents Browne from shooting from just inside the box. Right place, right time.

17 – Another really important block, charging down Barkhuizen's shot after Trybull had lost Browne on the counter.

20 – Pukki squares across the edge of the box but Tettey just can't sort his feet out in time to shoot and Gallagher makes a good block.

26 – Barkhuizen beats Jamal Lewis for pace but Tettey steps in strongly to put the ball out for a throw.

30 – Remonstrates with the referee after foul is given against Trybull out wide, City sure he won the ball.

37 – Gallagher tries to slip a clever free-kick to Maguire into the left channel, with everyone waiting for a cross, but Tettey reads and cuts it out.

38 – Going round in circles trying to keep possession with Maguire chasing him, just about gets a scruffy pass to Trybull.

39 – Up well to beat Browne to a Declan Rudd goal-kick in the air, soon after charges in to beat Barkhuizen to the ball on the edge of City's box, good strength.

49 – Stiepermann swings in corner from the right and Tettey can't make clean contact with a close-range header, Rudd holds at the second attempt under pressure.

54 – Steps out of defence at the perfect moment to stop Barkhuizen shooting on the edge of the box and City clear.

56 – Zimmermann scuffs a pass to him as last man, under-hits pass to Krul but the keeper gets to it.

57 – Nice turn out of trouble and drives forward, first pass is poor, gets the ball back and pushes down the right before off-loading to Hernandez, looks tired afterwards as he chases after a counter.

Alex Tettey can't believe it as referee Geoff Eltringham points to the spot ahead of Preston's second goal at Deepdale Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images (Image: Paul Chesterton)

60 – Helps Onel Hernandez keep a corner alive, cross is cleared but comes back to him and drills a low shot that Rudd gets down to hold.

62 – Wins the race to a loose ball to keep a City attack alive and find Emi Buendia, eventually comes back to him and can't spot a free man in the box, attempted chip to Hernandez goes out of play.

64 – Again picks up on the edge of the box as City keep heavy pressure on, doesn't connect with long-range shot, Pearson charges down.

69 – Left chasing shadows as Brad Potts turns a throw to Browne, his long-range effort hits the bar and Maguire makes it 3-0.

82 – Sitting deep and passing as the tempo in the game dies but desperately chases back as Daniel Johnson counters.

88 – Exchanges passes with several team-mates before being robbed by Johnson, with City just hoping for the final whistle.

VERDICT: Poor touch led to awful start for City, although not his fault that a header was conceded from a free-kick so easily. Plenty of good defensive work in an eventful game but lacked quality in the final third. Partnership with Trybull didn't work out on a night that could have been so different, had Stiepermann converted his penalty.

RATING: 6 out of 10