Three things we learned from Tottenham win as Champions League hopes boosted and Xavi Simons shows promise | OneFootball

Reaction to Brennan Johnson’s red card adds to an impressive showing from Spurs

The Tottenham players were only too happy to applaud the fans after the match this time.

They soaked in a much happier atmosphere, Spurs having beaten Copenhagen 4-0 to maintain their unbeaten start to the Champions League campaign.

Joao Palhinha made it four almost immediately and even a late Richarlison missed penalty could not sour the mood.

Copenhagen offered very little and provided Spurs with exactly the kind of night they needed.

Manchester United this weekend will be a much sterner test, but a win of any sort on home soil for Spurs right now is reason to celebrate.

Spurs get stadium bouncing

A five-minute spell in the second half breathed life into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Frank will hope with it Spurs' season.

It was a remarkable passage of play. Johnson's red card with more than half an hour remaining threatened to set the stage for a nervy conclusion and to undo the good work Spurs had done up to that point.

Enter Van de Ven. The centre-back picked up the ball deep in his own half. He ran, ran, and ran some more with it, all the way into the Copenhagen box where he tucked the finish away.

Wondergoal: Micky van de Ven

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Nobody in a green shirt got close to stopping him and it felt incredibly similar to Heung-min Son's goal against Burnley that won the 2020 Puskas Award.

The stadium was bouncing after that and still celebrating when Palhinha delivered Spurs' fourth of the day, this time Cristian Romero the one to charge up from centre-back and put it on a plate with brilliant ball.

It could have been three in five minutes. Another Spurs break sent Randal Kolo Muani through, but his shot was smothered.

For probably the first time this season, the stadium and the Spurs players felt like they were truly having fun.

Top-eight hopes boosted

At the halfway stage of the league phase, Spurs are unbeaten and have eight points to their name.

Last season, 16 points was enough to secure a place in the top eight and avoid an extra knockout round, though the form of some of Europe's top teams this time suggest one or two more points could be required.

For now, Spurs have kept themselves in the hunt. Those two points picked up away at Bodo/Glimt and Monaco when not playing well could be crucial and Spurs have a perfect record from their two home matches. It is now 22 matches unbeaten at home in Europe.

Tottenham are on course for the Champions League knockout phase

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Spurs next travel to PSG when any kind of result would be a bonus.

However, if that home streak is extended beyond matches against Sparta Prague and Borussia Dortmund, Spurs could yet get themselves straight through to the last-16.

Premature end to the night for Simons

Could this prove to be a turning point in Xavi Simons' Spurs career?

That feels very premature. A slower-paced game against lesser opposition was always likely to suit Simons compared to the intensity of the Premier League and so it proved.

Nevertheless, these were much better signs. His ball in behind for Johnson's goal was only his second assist in a Spurs shirt and he deserved two more before half-time.

Twice Simons put it on a plate for Randal Kolo Muani, who first fired wide and then headed a free header over.

Improvement: Xavi Simons

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Simons stayed much more centrally than he has in recent matches and Spurs, in particular Cristian Romero, noticeable tried to fizz passes through the lines to him at every opportunity.

The Dutchman looked hugely disappointed to be the man brought off after Johnson's red card, throwing his head up and trudging to his seat after a word from Frank.

This hour was promising - now he must step up and produce consistently when Spurs really need it in the Premier League.