While hardly one for the purists, Manchester United and Arsenal served up an entertaining encounter on Wednesday evening as the two sides contested a frantic 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
With the scores level and both teams chasing the game, United sent Marouane Fellaini on for the final 20 minutes in the hope that the midfielder's famed physical presence would make an impact.
Fellaini duly obliged, though perhaps not in the precise manner Jose Mourinho had envisaged.
Indeed, apparently overcome by a sudden bout of hair envy (having recently had his own afro sheared off), Fellaini set about unceremoniously stopping Matteo Guendouzi in his tracks by grabbing a handful of his counterpart's own tousled locks.
The Belgian was subsequently reprimanded by referee Andre Marriner but somehow managed to escape a booking.
Still, that didn't stop viewers from having their say on social media.
Marouane Fellaini waits until he cuts his hair to start pulling the hair of others...
— James Tyler FC (@JamesTylerESPN) 5 December 2018
Fellaini trying to steal what he once had. #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/oIBIzhzeHL
— Carly Adno (@CarlyAdno226) 5 December 2018
"Marouane Fellaini can only stop 19 year old midfielder by pulling him back by the hair in game otherwise marred by 6 yellow cards and 2 injuries" is the perfect description of Jose Mourinho's brand of football at Man United #MUNARS
— Paul Fischer (@tencents77) 5 December 2018
fellaini cut his hair now he's jealous of guendouzi's flowing locks, you hate to see it
— A West (@ayyy_west) 5 December 2018
Fellaini is Mourinho's iPad.
— Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) 5 December 2018
Much better ways to parent but it's just so damn convenient.
Marouane Fellaini-Guendouzi gate brought back memories. When Robert Huth Fellaini's hair, the gift Louis van Gaal delivered: "Only in sex masochism it is allowed." #mufc #afc pic.twitter.com/hfL3ez4nKh
— Kristof Terreur 📰🎥 (@HLNinEngeland) 6 December 2018
Having watched Leicester defender Robert Huth yank Fellaini's afro during a game toward the tail end of the 2016-17 season, Luis van Gaal admonished the act before exclaiming that hair-pulling is only acceptable as part of "sex masochism."
Huth himself later put on record his approval that his former foe had learned from him.
When asked about the incident during his Thursday news conference, Arsenal boss Unai Emery had a simple solution for the Frenchman.
"I think the best thing is for the next match for Matteo to cut his hair, and this problem is finished! Like Fellaini," Emery said with a smile. Although he quickly added that he hasn't actually advised Guendouzi to do so.
"No, I respect the players' hair a lot!" he said.