Analysis - Adam Lanigan, BBC Sport England
So another game ticks by for Sunderland, and the Black Cats remain top of the Championship.
Given that they have been in that position since 1 October, are they starting to feel comfortable up there?
On the face of it, successive goalless draws at QPR and Preston North End feel disappointing, but that is a sign of how well they have done since Regis Le Bris arrived in the summer.
Last night, they certainly deserved no more than a draw at Deepdale and needed to show lots of defensive resolve, some good goalkeeping from stand-in Simon Moore and a little bit of luck to keep Preston at bay.