Alex Neil masterminded his old team’s first away defeat since the middle of August to slow their progress back towards the promised land of the Premier League.

But it was another old boy from Norwich’s last Premier League campaign who did the real damage.

Preston keeper Declan Rudd, who played 11 games for Neil after he took them into the top flight three seasons ago, was the key reason why his former employers lost for the first time in 13 away games.

Alex Neil masterminded an upset of Norwich as Preston ran out 3-1 winners at home

Declan Rudd was superb against his former team and saved Marco Stiepermann’s penalty

And Daniel Farke’s side, who will remain in Lancashire ahead of Saturday’s visit to struggling Bolton, only have themselves to blame for this setback.

Norwich’s hopes of staying on top spot on the first leg of their Lancashire double took a severe dent inside the opening 24 minutes, by which time Daniel Farke’s team were two goals behind.

The first came after less than two minutes as the Canaries were left badly exposed at the back from a Paul Gallagher free-kick on the right flank.

Defender Ben Davies found the necessary space to skip the attention of his markers and meet the cross with a header that gave Tim Krul no chance in the City goal.

The situation would worsen further just after the halfway period of the opening half when North End full-back Darnell Fisher darted into the Norwich area and Emiliano Buendia made a clumsy challenge that sent him to the ground.

Gallagher strode up and struck the ball with such venom that Krul was unable to keep it out, despite guessing the right way.

It was a rude awakening for a Norwich side unbeaten on their league travels since losing at Sheffield United – a run that had seen them set a new club record for games unbeaten.

Sean Maguire celebrates scoring the third goal of the game with his Preston team-mates 

But they were presented with the perfect chance to regain a foothold after 32 minutes when Ben Pearson was judged to have brought down Onel Hernandez by referee Geoff Eltringham.

It looked a contentious decision – certainly from a Preston perspective – but former Norwich keeper Declan Rudd dived smartly to his right to make a superb stop to keep out Marco Stiepermanns spot kick.

It was all part of a non-stop first half that could have brought plenty of goals for both sides.

After nine minutes, a superb through ball from Buendia played in Teemu Pukki whose angled shot was only kept out by Rudd’s outstretched boot.

And Preston might have doubled their lead, just before the penalty, when Gallagher laid off a pass for Brad Potts whose terrific curling shot struck the bar from 25 yards.

Norwich were equally dangerous, with Pukki hitting the side netting and Stiepermann rolling a shot inches wide of the far post, either side of the penalty miss.

Farke threw on Jordan Rhodes, a proven goal getter at this level, at the interval and he played his part in a blistering start from the Canaries.

Daniel Farke’s (right) Norwich side have been knocked off the top of the table by Leeds

It was a night to remember for former Canaries and Rudd (pictured) in particular 

Stiepermann, still out to make amends, saw his 20-yard shot well saved by Rudd before the home keeper did likewise to turn Pukki’s dangerous shot around his post.

A poor back pass also presented Rudd with problems, as Pukki threatened to capitalise, but the keeper did well to steer the Finn wide before blocking his shot.

There was yet another good save by Rudd, this time from Hernandez on the edge of the Preston area on 64 minutes, as the relentless Norwich pressure mounted.

Rudd soon kept out a routine effort from Hernandez, to add to his growing catalogue of excellence, before producing the best of the lot as he somehow turned away a point-blank header from Ben Godfrey.

It was a stop that proved all the more valuable when Preston scored their third, on 69 minutes after Alan Browne’s superb long-range shot had thundered against the Norwich bar.

The ball fell kindly for Sean Maguire but there was still plenty of composure and technique as he drove the rebound past the stranded Krul.

Rudd was finally beaten, deep in injury-time, by a Pukki shot across his goal but there was not sufficient time for the sort of dramatic comeback Norwich have launched previously this season.