While pleased to remain unbeaten and keep a clean sheet, Watford head coach Rob Edwards was clearly frustrated that his side didn’t win the 0-0 draw at Preston given the clear chances they created.

“I think possibly we should have won it,” he said. “They had chances too but I thought the ones we had were better. I’m under no illusions, it wasn’t a one-sided game but when it comes to chances we had some real good ‘uns.

“They’ve kept five clean sheets in a row so clearly they are a hard team to score against, but I felt we had four big opportunities to score. Bearing that in mind, I’m slightly frustrated not to be going home with three points.”

Keeper Dan Bachmann did make fine saves in both halves.

“He’s done that on a number of occasions already this season. I’ll keep singing his praises because he’s playing well and he did again today,” said Edwards.

“He is doing his job, but he’s doing it very well. The whole group pleased me today, even those who didn’t get on, the spirit was good and it’s another good away point.”

Rey Manaj and Vakoun Bayo were paired together for the first time, and both failed to convert when put through with only the keeper to beat.

“I think they’re both good players but on another day I would expect them to put least one of those chances away,” admitted Edwards.

“They know that as well. We have to demand high standards because when you create chances like we did today, you have to be punishing teams.

“We’ve scored four in five but if we’d taken the clear chances today we could have had eight in five. I look at what I can do to help in that area, and I do think we can speed things up in that final third. We need to be quicker in our decision making in those areas. With two strikers on the pitch we need to be getting crosses in a little bit earlier.

“But then you look at the two one-on-ones and you think ‘hmmm, need to be taking those’.”

The unbeaten start to the season continues but Edwards knows his side can do more.

“I think we can still be better. We have solidity at the back, and a willingness to defend and put bodies in the way. We have the desire to sprint back and chase, apart from one corner which sticks in my mind where we didn’t, and that disappointed me.

“Three clean sheets for us is pleasing. I’ll say this a lot, but if you have zeroes and ones against then you are going to get points.”

Young midfielder Yaser Asprilla caught the eye with another display of maturity beyond his years.

“He’s a good footballer isn’t he?! The personality he showed, the intelligence, the areas he gets into in order to pick the ball up – he’s just football in its purist form. You can see him thinking all the time. He just loves playing the game, and that’s what I like about him the most. I was never good enough to play how he does, but I also wasn’t good enough to feel the way he feels.

“He’s like a kid playing with his mates in the street, and we have to help him to learn over time, but his enthusiasm and desire is lovely.”

Edwards explained why Ismaila Sarr didn’t feature after travelling to Preston.

“When we got up this morning he was starting the game, because he trained yesterday. But then we had a conversation and he just didn’t feel fully comfortable. We decided it wasn’t right to risk him. He travelled, he wanted to play but I took it out of his hands. It had nothing to do with a potential move or anything like that.”

The head coach also reiterated that Joao Pedro is injured, and that was why he didn’t travel.

“Joao was in the team yesterday morning but then we had to change it. He felt his calf and he’d been feeling it against Birmingham too. If you watch that Birmingham game back there are quite a lot of times when he’s limping.

“He didn’t feel comfortable, we had the calf scanned and there is a minor tear. He won’t be out for too long but he wasn’t fit to play.”

When two talented players, who have bene linked with moves away from the club, aren’t in the team during the transfer window, the rumour mill goes into overdrive.

“This is what we’re dealing with all the time at the moment,” said Edwards.

“We’re in the transfer window and they’re good players. There’s been speculation and that has made it difficult at times. On top of that we’ve had to change the starting line-up twice because of the injuries.

“We try and deal with it, because we constantly get asked the same questions, and the lads involved are totally with it and on board. There is interest, we knew that would be the case and we’re not shying away from it. But Joao and Isma having those little niggles makes it look worse than it is.

“People will have their opinions, and they’ll say what they want to say, but we know what the truth is and that’s fine.”

As for the absence of Keinan Davis, Edwards explained he knew he had to resist rushing him into the team.

“He’s fit but we need to make sure we get him right, and then he stays right. He didn’t have that much training with the team in pre-season, and he hasn’t had much work on the football fitness side of things. We have to patient. I’ll say I probably tried to get him involved too soon on Tuesday.”