Defeat is never the aim, but Ipswich Town will have plenty to take from their 3-2 loss to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Few teams trouble City at home, and Gary O’Neil’s men battled to the end to leave home supporters breathing a sigh of relief at the final whistle. Goals from Daizen Maeda and Zian Flemming ensured Town were in touching distance, and a number of performances suggest the Blues are continuing to grow at Premier League level.

Here are four observations from a spirited display in Manchester.

1. O’Neil’s Tactical Change Worked

One of the main talking points ahead of the game was Gary O’Neil’s choice of system. The Town manager moved to a back three for the first time in charge, with Dara O’Shea, Issa Diop and Jacob Greaves providing the defensive shape while Abdoul Ouattara and Leif Davis operated as wing-backs.

It made sense on paper to counter the attacking threat of Manchester City – and largely worked in practice. City were in total control of the ball for large portions, but Ipswich rarely looked like they would be overwhelmed. The system allowed them to stay compact, protect the area in front of their goalkeeper and hit on the counter when the opportunity presented itself.

Against arguably the league’s best team, that’s no mean feat. The system probably won’t become Town’s default, but it is one O’Neil can call upon if needed.

2. Maeda Keeps Growing in Confidence

It was a moment of great satisfaction for Daizen Maeda, and his first goal for the club was a fitting reward for his hard work since signing for Portman Road. The Japanese international has worked tirelessly since arriving in England, and it is fitting he finally has a goal to show for his efforts. It was not just the end product that was pleasing, but the movement to get into position, the strength to hold off Marc Guehi and the composure to squeeze the ball beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma showed why Ipswich were prepared to invest in him.

Strikers often need a goal to really settle into a side, and while there have been signs of his ability, it is clear Maeda has taken another step forward in his development. If he keeps performing like this, more goals will follow.

3. Ouattara Continues To Impress

While Maeda grabbed the headlines for his goal, Abdoul Ouattara once again gave an impressive performance. The Ivorian was brilliant defensively, worked tirelessly throughout and provided the brilliant pass that created Town’s equaliser.

His development over the opening weeks of the season has been one of the most encouraging aspects of Ipswich’s campaign. Playing against the likes of Jeremy Doku is one of the hardest tasks any defender can be given, yet Ouattara consistently competed and continued to offer something at the other end.

The 22-year-old already looks like one of the signings of the summer. Given how adaptable he is, it would not be surprising to see him become one of O’Neil’s most important players this season.

4. Town Had Moments.

They created chances, they scored twice, and they caused problems for one of the strongest teams in Europe. Even at 3-1 down, they kept pushing.

Flemming’s late penalty ensured a tense finish, while the 12 minutes of added time gave the Blues hope of snatching an unlikely point. The fact City supporters were relieved at the final whistle tells its own story.

A few years ago, Ipswich supporters would have dreamt of competing like this against teams like this. Now they are doing exactly that.

Plenty of Positives Despite Defeat

Ultimately, Manchester City’s quality was too good, and their perfect start to the Premier League season remains unchanged. For Ipswich, though, it was a defeat more encouraging than disappointing.

The strategy was shrewd, Maeda opened his account, Ouattara continued his fine run of form, and the team showed plenty of spirit again when the going got tough. With Nottingham Forest coming to Portman Road next Friday, Town can feel they gave the league leaders a run for their money.

On another afternoon, one or two moments might even have gone their way