It was the last thing West Ham’s beleaguered players wanted. They’d just spent 72 minutes suffering at the hands of Harry Kane only to see Gareth Bale emerge from his seat on the bench, stripped and ready to come on for his second Tottenham debut.
His hair in bun and wearing the No 9 - 30 days after re-signing - Bale was back home, seven years after departing for Real Madrid.
As is it turns out, West Ham players and David Moyes didn’t need to worry.
Bale was straight into the thick of the action immediately pulling rank to take the free-kick that allowed his introduction in place of Steven Bergwijn.