There was talk of how a certain cup match had been a pivotal moment and there was the promise that the mentality of the club would change. The response of Tottenham Hotspur fans will be: “Ah, at last, that’s fantastic.” Only these were not the words of Juande Ramos, the Tottenham head coach, but of Gareth Southgate.

The Middlesbrough manager has been the centre of much positive attention as his team have started playing effective and attractive football, but he was at pains to emphasise that he expects so much more. He called the defeat by Cardiff City last month in the sixth round of the FA Cup a watershed. The players were embarrassed and have improved dramatically since, winning the tactical battle against Arsenal in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium and the entertainment contest against Manchester United in a 2-2 draw at the Riverside Stadium. “We’ve just done enough,” Southgate said. “A lot of work needs to be done between now and the end of the season.”

Perhaps it is inevitable that if a team lose a cup match that they should have won they will respond more energetically than a team who win a cup final they were expected to lose. Tottenham have been treading water since their Carling Cup final victory over Chelsea in February. Ramos is expected to overhaul his squad and is far from impressed at the way the team have appeared distracted.

Tottenham were the more sprightly team in the first half and a splendid piece of ball juggling by Dimitar Berbatov set up Aaron Lennon’s strike at goal that was deflected in by Jon Grounds. But the home team were too casual in the second half and Middlesbrough should have punished them beyond Stewart Downing’s long-range strike that struck Jermaine Jenas to deceive Radek Cerny in the Tottenham goal.

Southgate, whose celebration of the equaliser was eccentric, did not expect to suffer on the touchline as much as he does. “The emotion and involvement is even greater than as a player,” he said. “I suffer with them and enjoy it when they play well. I try to give as much of myself and my time as I possibly can.” He has taken it slowly, not trying anything revolutionary, and his caution is paying off. Middlesbrough look capable of a sustaining an assault on the top six next season. By contrast, Ramos needs all the time in the job that his cup glory bought him.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): R Cerny 4 – A Hutton 5, M Dawson 6, J Woodgate 5, P Chimbonda 6 (sub: Gilberto, 70min 5) – A Lennon 5, (sub: D Bent, 76) J Jenas 5, D Zokora 5, S Malbranque 5 (sub: T Huddlestone, 60 5) – D Berbatov 6, R Keane 5. Substitutes not used: T Forecast, T Tainio. Next: Wigan Athletic (a).

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 5 – L Young 6, D Wheater 6, E Pogatetz 5, J Grounds 4 (sub: A Johnson, 64 5) – G O’Neil 5 (sub: Tuncay Sanli, 74), G Boateng 5, J Arca 6 (sub: F Rochemback, 66 5) S Downing 6 – J Aliadière 5, Afonso Alves 6. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, T McMahon. Booked: Pogatetz, Young, Arca. Next: Bolton Wanderers (h).

Referee: 36,092
Attendance: M Halsey