Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has defended Callum McManaman following the forward's controversial tackle on Newcastle left-back Massadio Haidara.
Enthusiasm
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez also insisted after the game that there had been no intent from McManaman to harm Haidara.
"Remember it's Callum's full debut in the Premier League. I haven't seen the replay, I believe he touches the ball and then it's a bad challenge, but it's nothing malicious, he's not that sort of boy," Martinez told Sky Sports.
"It's the normal enthusiasm that you get in your debut."
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was outraged by the challenge and felt referee Mark Halsey should have sent off McManaman.
"It is an awful challenge. The pictures speak for themselves," said Pardew. "I thought it was a bad challenge and I was 60 yards from the incident.
"The players knew because they were on top of it and there was a lot of bad feeling about that incident when it goes unpunished. He (Halsey) said 'If I've missed it I apologise' - that was at half-time."
Former Premier League referee Alan Wiley , meanwhile, has offered his support to Halsey over the incident.
"When the ball goes out towards the touchline, Mark will probably think McManaman has played the ball because he cannot see the challenge as it is," Wiley said.
"It is a one in a thousand situation where at the opportune moment, a player runs across his path and unfortunately, that (the foul) gets missed."
