It could be television’s future. Pay-per-view fighting between Premier League managers.

There were 41,607 at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea v Arsenal, but you would draw a similar crowd – plus millions on telly – if you dressed Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger in shorts and stuck them in a ring.

Arsene has the longer reach, but Jose would work out some sneaky way to ultimately get the edge.

For long spells during Sunday’s London derby, the touchline antics were as gripping as the dogged midfield duel on the pitch.

Chelsea’s mission was mean and ugly. Tackle, tease, anger, annoy, bait, wind-up and ultimately prosper.

It worked on the turf and in the technical areas, where the Gunners’ boss got so frustrated that he pushed Jose’s chest with both hands before fourth official Jonathan Moss, the busiest man in the stadium, intervened.

This was never ever going to be a repeat of the Blues’ 6-0 drubbing of Arsenal the last time Wenger’s men pitched up. Pride wouldn’t allow that.

But the unrelenting attention of Branislav Ivanovic, Oscar (who stings like a bee while maintaining an angelic expression) and Gary Cahill, fortunate not to be red-carded for one X-rated tackle, ensured Arsenal never settled.

Everyone was seeing red. Several Arsenal players were lucky to remain on the pitch, meanwhile a crimson flare was let off in the away fans’ food bar, delaying kick-off while stewards searched for any other incendiaries.

An Eden Hazard penalty and a Diego Costa lob ensured the Blues stay clear at the top of the table during the international break.

On the horizon, Old Trafford looms. United have quietly risen to fourth, but Jose knows that in Hazard he has the key to unlock the door.

“I like players to take some magic cards out of their pocket; Eden does that for us,” he said.

Never mind single cards. When he’s focused, Hazard holds the entire deck.