Tottenham legend Gary Mabbutt was out on the pitch at half time talking with affection about north London derbies of yore.
How you never could never tell what might emerge once the rivalry was held to the flame. How each duel created its own identity.
This one though, there was something eerily familiar about. A frantic street skirmish in designer slip-ons settled in Arsenal’s favour with a blow from a set-piece.
After that, they held an outstretched arm with a hand to the Spurs forehead and simply kept it there untroubled by the thrashing about.