Roy Hodgson said he can understand the anger shown by Crystal Palace supporters after an incident between Pape Souare and the travelling fans compounded a miserable night at Ashton Gate.
Souare threw his shirt into the away end at the final whistle only for it to be thrown back onto the pitch.
Emotions were running high after Palace had been dumped out of the Carabao Cup and Souare, who has recently returned after a year out following a serious car crash and only came on as a late substitute on Tuesday, was then involved in an exchange with supporters.
The left-back later tweeted: “Disappointing night, emotions were high. I understand the frustration All love.”
Hodgson said he hoped Souare did not take the incident personally after everything he has been through to come back from a career-threatening broken leg.
But the Palace manager, who tore into his players after a shocking display, said fans are “entitled to shows signs of displeasure” with club enduring a miserable season.
“That is a sad thing if that is the case,” said Hodgson about the incident with Souare.
“Our fans are very good and are a major weapon, so the last thing I am every going to do is say anything negative about them.
“They are really suffering at the moment. They were hoping to see a Palace team that flew out of the blocks and flew up the table and they are seeing a Palace team that is anchored to the bottom of the table and have just been knocked out of the League Cup by a Championship side. If they are showing signs of displeasure, I think they are entitled to that.
“But I am sorry for Pape. Because he has had to work very hard to get back from a long-term injury and I am certain him throwing his shirt into the crowd was a positive gesture on his part. So I hope he does not take that too unkindly.”
Hodgson made 10 changes to his side against Bristol City and will talk about Premier League survival and the crunch game against West Ham on Saturday being the priority.
Wilfried Zaha, Mamadou Sakho, Andros Townsend were among those left at home on Tuesday but it remains to be seen how damaging this morale-sapping defeat will be on the squad.
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Hodgson was furious with the way his team capitulated. He said: “It was a good night for the players left back at the training ground, and a bad night for a few of these players who think they should be in the team. Because they did not do enough to prove it.”
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