Chelsea vs Newcastle: Liam Rosenior criticises Paul Tierney as Blues consider PGMOL talks

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior expressed his bewilderment after referee Paul Tierney was caught in the middle of the Blues' traditional pre-match huddle.

The Blues' stuttering form in the Premier League continued on Saturday as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.

After a strong start under the former Strasbourg boss who masterminded four consecutive league wins, the Londoners have since claimed just one victory in five, losing two of the last three.

Despite dominating large spells of possession, the West Londoners were unable to find a way past a resilient Magpies defence.

The match was, however, overshadowed by a bizarre pre-match incident involving the officiating team and a controversial penalty shout that left the home dugout incensed.

Rosenior criticises Tierney after pre-match huddle incident

Rosenior revealed that the official had already questioned the coaching staff about the ritual during pre-match discussions with his assistant.

"I'm disappointed," said the Chelsea boss via Sky Sports News. "There's more focus and emphasis on the things that don't matter.

"My players made the decision that they wanted to be around the ball, to respect the ball and show unity and leadership.

"That is not my decision. That was a decision between the leadership group and the team. There is nothing that they're doing with that huddle that is disrespectful to the opposition."

Paul Tierney gets caught in the middle of the Chelsea huddle ?❓ pic.twitter.com/fhCRunycBX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2026

Chelsea could seek PGMOL talks over missed penalty call

The primary source of Rosenior's frustration stems from a late incident where Nick Woltemade appeared to bring down Palmer inside the penalty area.

The Chelsea boss claimed that the failure to award a spot-kick cost his side a vital point and suggested that Tierney's preoccupation with the huddle hindered his focus.

"If Paul [Tierney] had focused more on his job, which was to make the right decision, we have a penalty today," said the Chelsea head coach.

"I don't think anybody in this room can say that Woltemade doesn't kick Cole Palmer down in the box.

"So let's focus on the things that are important. My team showing unity is not as important as getting the decisions right on the pitch."

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe remained largely indifferent to the pre-match scenes, noting that such psychological displays have no bearing on the final result.

Chelsea stayed in fifth place in the Premier League table after Saturday's results, but they could fall to sixth on Sunday if Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

The Blues are expected to seek official clarification from the PGMOL regarding Tierney's conduct.