Chelsea's first game at Stamford Bridge with Frank Lampard at the helm has been hit with a referee switch, after match official Graham Scott had to be replaced after getting stuck in traffic on the M40.
He is replaced by Oliver Langford, who has never refereed a Premier League match or officiated a fixture with VAR in place.
Scott failed to make it to west London in time for the 4.30pm kick-off and arrived just 10 minutes before the allotted start time, the Mirror reports.
UEFA rules for continental competitions state say match officials must be in the city where they are officiating 24 hours before kick-off, but Premier League rules differ.
Scott had been due to be the man in the middle after being on VAR duty at Stockley Park for Manchester City's draw with Tottenham on Saturday night. It was Scott who alerted Michael Oliver to the unintentional handball from Aymeric Laporte that saw Gabriel Jesus' 92nd minute winner chalked off at the Etihad.
