When Gareth Bale finally made his entrance, one month after re-signing for Tottenham and 72 minutes into this derby, it is fair to say that the scene was set. Spurs had a free-kick 30 yards out, to the right of centre, and the returning hero went straight over to take it.
For a few tantalising moments those present and the watching TV millions wondered whether his scriptwriter had the most outlandish plotline in mind. It would have been too much. The first touch of Bale’s comeback was a shot that bounced tamely into Lukasz Fabianski’s arms.
