The hosts flew out of the traps, with Jordan Storey hitting the bar after just two minutes – as Villa failed to clear a corner – before Tom Barkhuizen lofted a half-volley over the bar a minute later.

Both sides struggled to generate any fluency in the opening 45 minutes, with Abraham frequently isolated for the visitors and Nmecha finding it difficult against an experienced Villa defence.

Graham Burke almost sparked the contest into life on 33 minutes, latching onto Daniel Johnson's chipped pass, but Orjan Nyland reacted well to tip his volley wide.

Abraham created a half-chance on 42 minutes, jinking past two Preston challenges and into the area before curling an effort over the bar.

But Dean Smith's side made the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time, as Glenn Whelan's whipped corner found its way to Abraham at the back post, who nodded home from close range.

The second period began with a flurry of chances, with Nyland saving well with his legs from Nmecha before Declan Rudd was called into action to repel Conor Hourihane's long-range strike.

Preston grabbed an equaliser on the hour mark, as Nmecha bundled home a cross from Johnson from a yard out – with the aid of Elmohamady.

The Manchester City loanee looked determined to score a second goal, curling wide from 25 yards on 65 minutes and being denied by a last-ditch James Bree tackle two minutes later.

Barhuizen then hit the post from just inside the area from Johnson's through ball before blazing the rebound wide from a tight angle, as Preston pushed for a winner.

Villa remained a threat in the closing stages and Anwar El Ghazi forced Rudd into a smart save on 79 minutes.

Smith's side almost stole all three points at the death as substitute Birkir Bjarnason lashed over the bar from close range on 90 minutes and Rudd then denied the Iceland international in added time.

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