City's 2-2 draw at Preston just happened to be on my birthday - I'm not planning on talking numbers but without giving too much away, I've had more of them than our current head coach.

So when the hosts raced into a two-goal lead with just 12 minutes on the clock it really felt as though somebody in the universe was dead set on ruining my day.

It appeared it wasn't just me who was receiving gifts as I turned 27 (and not for the first time!).

Even with more than 80 minutes left on the clock, it felt like nigh-on certain that City would be returning from the North empty-handed. 

Yet, here we are, with a six-game unbeaten run still very much intact - and could very reasonably have argued it could have been with three points to boot.

It may just be that I've become a bit of a pessimist in my old age, but it may also just be what we've grown used to as Norwich City fans in the past three years.

Under both David Wagner and Dean Smith, it very much felt as though once we were behind, chances are we would stay behind - particularly when it is by more than one goal.

I, for one, very much struggle to remember the last time a two-goal deficit was turned around and cancelled out.

With the help of the brilliant NCFC Numbers, I've found out precisely how many times David Wagner and Dean Smith managed to turn a 2-0 deficit into anything other than a defeat.

Spoiler alert, it was zero.

This means, that in bringing a point home from Deepdale, Johannes Hoff Thorup has already achieved something that neither of his two predecessors did. 

This speaks absolute volumes for how much of a difference the great Dane has already made in his short time at the club.

Moreover, not only are we coming away from a game in which we were 2-0 down within 12 minutes with a draw - we're coming away from it disappointed it wasn't more.

This says so much about the belief Thorup has instilled in his side - and how we, as fans, are feeling it too.

Don't get me wrong, the performance was a long way from ideal, and Thorup will be the first person to admit that.

No team should ever be given a headstart, particularly not a team so capable of shutting others out at home like Preston.

One standout stat that was shared in the Sky commentary of the game was that North End are particularly hot when it comes to midweek games at home - yesterday was the 21st midweek home fixture in a row they have avoided defeat.

The last thing we would have wanted to give them is a two-goal headstart.

Under Smith and Wagner, we had a real tendency to fold as soon as we went behind, especially when it was early.

On Tuesday, not only did City not fold, but from there out we controlled the game. 

But for the scoreboard, chances are no late comer would ever have believed the scoreline if they had not arrived or tuned in until midway through the first half.

This really is impressive stuff and shows just how far we have come since Thorup's arrival.

Equally worth applauding is Thorup's in-game management, which was shown for all to see at Preston.

Throughout the match, City's set-up was tweaked, pulled and adapted as and when the boss felt it was needed. And it was genuinely affective.

I will always love Daniel Farke for all he achieved, even as the architect of our play-off downfall last year - although I'd probably argue perhaps another German had as much to do with it as he did.

But for all his accomplishments, one of the biggest criticisms of Farke was his ability to chop and change his plan as the match evolves.

Clearly, during peak Farkeball, there was often little need to adapt because Plan A would always work so well.

But when it wasn't working, sometimes Plan B was not quite oven ready - and it's a criticism of Farke you still hear from Leeds fans.

But so far, we have seen from Thorup that he seems to have plenty more letters of the alphabet to call upon - and is not afraid to use them.

As I previously said, I'm not resting on any laurels and clearly there was plenty of lessons to be learned from the Preston game.

But from where I'm sitting, things look really promising - and for Thorup to have already done something neither Smith and Wagner could manage says it all.

OTBC.