The unseen indicators that betray the chaotic and agitated thoughts of Liam Rosenior and the way the Chelsea wheels are beginning to come off as Newcastle deal Blues an enormous blow in Champions League race, writes CRAIG HOPE

Like naughty boys in a playground, Chelsea’s players circled referee Paul Tiereny during their pre-match huddle, as if capturing the teacher at play-time. Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez giggled. It was weird, immature and smacked of ill discipline, much like the performance that followed.

If only they had got that close to scorer Anthony Gordon and creator Joe Willock for the game’s only goal. Neither that defending nor the taking hostage of Tiereny reflected well on boss Liam Rosenior or captain Reece James. Rosenior can also come across as peculiar at times, an erraticism reflected by his side’s declining form.

Take his costume changes during the course of this defeat. There was a jacket and a gilet, and then there was not. And then there was. It betrayed a chaotic and agitated mind. That is what a 5-2 midweek undressing by Paris Saint-Germain can do to a manager, who will know that a limp exit in the Champions League last 16 and failure to qualify for next season’s edition through the Premier League could well cost him his job. It feels as if the wheels as well as Rosenior’s outer layers are starting to come off.

The head coach later added to the absurdity of the huddle, when he claimed: ‘My players made a decision that they wanted to be around the ball, to respect the ball.’

By the time the weekend’s fixtures are done – given Liverpool are playing hapless Tottenham – Chelsea will almost certainly be three points adrift of fifth position. Amid a run of one win in five they have negative momentum, and the boos that chased them down the tunnel on full-time will hardly inspire ahead of Tuesday’s return leg against PSG.

Indeed, this was a Premier League fixture framed by the Champions League, both by its place in the calendar and the significance of its outcome.

Liam Rosenior’s erratic nature is reflected in the form of his team, with the Chelsea boss knowing a limp Champions League exit and failure to qualify again may cost him his job

Chelsea players circled referee Paul Tierney during their pre-match huddle in an immature moment that smacked of ill discipline, much like the performance that followed

Anthony Gordon scored Newcastle’s winner and demonstrated again that he is invaluable for Eddie Howe and will likely be a key player for England at the World Cup

Chelsea went with their strongest XI because they are under pressure to finish in that top five. Newcastle made six changes because, unlike Chelsea, they still have a chance of making this season’s Champions League last eight after a 1-1 draw with Barcelona. They also started this game in 13th and, at times of late, the Premier League has felt like less of a priority. Not so now. They are six points behind Chelsea and have restored feel-good after this win on the back of a victory over in-form Manchester United.

While Eddie Howe and his team celebrated with the Toon Army, the home fans spat their distaste at their departing Chelsea players. Palmer, James and top scorer Joao Pedro had done nowhere near enough to influence the game. The verdict was damning.

You can attach whatever D you want to Newcastle’s display – dogged at the death, determined in the middle and disciplined throughout. There was also the desire of match-winner Gordon and the dark arts that saw home the win during eight minutes of added time.

Chelsea, though, never looked like scoring. There had been five efforts on Newcastle’s goal in a six-minute spell, none of them particularly close, when the visitors broke upfield in the 19th minute. Tino Livramento stepped from defence unopposed and sent Willock clear. Again, the resistance to the runner was non-existent. Gordon then ran faster than James to get on terms with Willock and his reward was an open goal when his team-mate squared unselfishly.

Gordon’s will was just as apparent in defence. Twice before half-time he made recovery runs to deny Chelsea shooting opportunities.

With Thomas Tuchel in the stands – and the England boss still searching for a back-up to Harry Kane who he likes – Gordon’s energy, quality and nuisance factor as a central striker would not have gone unnoticed. He will likely be Tuchel’s left-wing starter this summer, but this was yet more evidence of a valuable and versatile string to his bow.

For Howe, it is invaluable. Gordon is his first-choice striker and justifiably so, even if that is ahead of £69million club-record signing Nick Woltemade, Germany’s No.9 who was again deployed as a No.8. Woltemade is struggling with the heat and intensity of the engine-room and was replaced in the 66th minute. Howe’s introduction of Joelinton and Dan Burn felt like calling in the doormen for chucking-out time.

Newcastle kicked, headed and blocked everything Chelsea threw at them in the closing stages. The only thing they did not have to repel was Rosenior’s jacket. That, by now, was nowhere to be seen, much like Chelsea’s top stars had been all evening.