Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray defended Jarrad Branthwaite after the teenager was confronted by Neil Warnock at the final whistle of the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Branthwaite, 18, caught Dael Fry in the face inside the penalty area during the first-half at the Riverside with the defender being forced off for treatment and later being pictured with a wound to his eye.
Despite the challenge, no penalty was awarded and Warnock later told the Everton loan star he 'should be ashamed' as the teams left the field at the end of the contest.
Blackburn boss Mowbray admitted he did not see Warnock approach Branthwaite after the game but believes his opposite number will be forced to 'reflect' on his actions later this week.
Mowbray said: "Listen, football is an emotional game and nobody is more emotional than me. You try to keep your emotions in and Neil is an extraordinarily emotional manager.
"I've managed a lot of times against Neil and as I'm sure you will know, he is a wonderful guy off the pitch, away from all the emotion and passion of football.
"He's an amazing human being who has done amazing things in football. I'm sure he will reflect. I'm not sure he should be facing an 18-year-old boy up who is just starting his career.
- Take our 30-second Everton transfer survey and let us know what Carlo Ancelotti needs to do in the January window.
"I know the boy, after working with him for over a week, 10 days, he's a shy kid from the Carlisle area or Cockermouth, wherever he is from.
"He's just a boy who is on a journey who can't believe that he's played in the Premier League for Everton, played five times in the Premier League and now he's at Blackburn learning his trade.
"He's just a kid. He has no edge to him. He's not an angry kid and he's a skinny boy. I have just seen him with his top off; he's a skinny, scrawny kid who you could blow over. I don't think I'd be confronting him really.
"Neil's emotional. He probably should have thought they deserved a sending off, it never happened and they lost 1-0 in their last home game. He's probably really hurting and that's reflected in his emotional and his passion for his football team."
Mowbray also reckons Everton will benefit from the experience Branthwaite is gaining at Ewood Park with the defender unbeaten in his first two appearances for the Championship club.
He added: "Jarrad is doing well. Jarrad is a young boy and as a centre-half I can sit there and see where we can help him.
"I can see the flaws in his game where has to learn. I had a good chat with him there.
"I'm a bit apprehensive because we're trying to improve other clubs players but they're here to help us and I think Jarrad helps us at the moment.
"He's 6ft 4 or 6ft 5, he's a beanpole really but he's pretty calm, he stands his ground and has a nice left foot that can play it forward for us.
"He can win headers, he has to learn the fine details of when to wrap his leg round, when to step in front and when not to not when you've got a big strong centre-forward against you.
"He's got all those little things as he develops and Everton will benefit somewhere down the line I am sure."
