Jose Mourinho once pondered that question during his first stint at Chelsea when the Premier League was under his spell. “The only thing they could do about me is a DVD of about one hour with the titles I have won, the best images, the biggest controversies.”

There have been many ups and downs in the decade and a half since that statement but Mourinho is on top again. Nine games into the Premier League season and Spurs lead the rest. After ending Chelsea’s 50-year wait to be champions of England, he is now threatening to take Tottenham to the title for the first time in 60 years.

Seasoned Mourinho observers have long been convinced that the Portuguese sees his whole life in cinemascope. It helps to explain why he took to the documentary about his first season at Spurs so easily. Well, now he has a narrative worthy of his name. After being written off as yesterday’s man, could it really be time for Jose’s redemption song?

The mood music is certainly changing. “I think it will ramp up the more that Jose sits near the top of the league and feels like he is competing with Pep,” Gary Neville told Sky Sports.

He was referring to the rivalry Mourinho stoked up before his side’s game against Manchester City – insinuating that Pep Guardiola’s team might have benefited from favourable treatment during the international break regarding Raheem Sterling’s withdrawal from the England squad. “Maybe Mourinho is a doctor,” wondered Guardiola.