Wigan manager Roberto Martinez insisted Callum McManaman was not a malicious player after his horror tackle on Massadio Haidara during his side's 2-1 win against Newcastle.
The Latics forward, on his first Premier League start, caused outrage at the DW Stadium with a reckless knee-high challenge on substitute Haidara, which referee Mark Halsey failed to spot.
But the Spaniard said his young forward wants to contact Haidara to make an apology.
"Remember it's Callum's full debut in the Premier League. I haven't seen the replay, I believe that 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.
"I can't really comment too much because I haven't seen the action but I can guarantee that Callum McManaman is a young man full of talent and in his debut probably showed the enthusiasm that you expect, but he's not a malicious player."
Regarding an apology, Martinez said: "I think he wants to contact the player. I don't know if he's done it already but he will do that because when you get an injury in that manner you obviously don't want to leave any bad feelings.
"If Callum hasn't apologised yet then he definitely will do that because we're a football club where those values are very important."
