Tottenham Hotspur did it the hard way this evening, but is there any other way to do it away at the Etihad against Manchester City? 

Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from the 3-3 result:

Stopping the Slide –

For me, the most important lesson was that Tottenham avoided losing in the Premier League for the fourth time in a row. Not because it would have changed anything for the long-term project, but rather because it makes all the difference in the Spurs’ headlines this week. From being chronic underachievers and wondering if Postecoglou is being discovered, they have transformed into a courageous Tottenham team who defeated City and earned a point. That will do wonders for morale.

That Kulusevski Magic –

Ange Ball Strikes Again –

The entire pregame hype revolved around Postecoglou’s inability to play his brand of football against Man City on the road when so many players were out and expect anything other than a crushing defeat. Postecoglou demonstrated one more that you don’t have to submit to the powerful factions. I still believe that folks are missing the point, even if the Spurs had lost this evening. With Ange, it’s not about the here and now. Whether you win, lose, or draw, the goal is to transform the club’s culture and style of play. Simply teaching every member of your team to play the same manner and advance as a team won’t make all the changes necessary to compensate for an injured player. It’s all a process, and there are clear indicators.

Champions League Places –

Tottenham is still in the running to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season because of one point (if England is awarded a fifth slot). They are only two points behind Aston Villa in fourth place and are still one point ahead of Newcastle. More importantly, though, they proved once more that they can hang with the big players.

Returning Players –

By the next game, Tottenham’s problems ought to, in principle, marginally lessen. Now that Cristian Romero’s suspension is complete, Richarlison played for Spurs off the bench. While that’s not much in comparison to the lengthy list of absences, it does help the starting XI feel less pressured. Romero and Davies will likely now start as the starting back two for the foreseeable future.