Chelsea's pre-match huddle took an unexpected turn when referee Paul Tierney found himself in the center of the players' circle before their game against Newcastle. The unusual scene left some Blues players bemused, with Cole Palmer jokingly wrapping his arms around Tierney while Trevoh Chalobah and Enzo Fernandez watched in amusement.

Former England midfielder Fara Williams described the incident on Final Score, noting that Tierney "probably heard everything that was said" as Palmer gave him "the eye." The referee simply smiled back at the England international. Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann told BBC Sport he had never witnessed anything like it "in 50 years of watching football."

Cann provided context for the unusual positioning, explaining that when Newcastle was kicking off, the referee took control of the ball on the halfway line to prevent potential issues. He noted that while there's no problem when a team has its own kick-off, the referee positions himself to avoid confrontation when opponents are kicking off. The incident highlighted the sometimes unpredictable nature of football rituals and the human element that referees bring to the game.