Sky Sports pundit Sue Smith has been criticised by fans online for downplaying Emma Hayes' shove on Jonas Eidevall following Chelsea's defeat to Arsenal in the Continental Cup final on Sunday.
Stina Blackstenius scored the winner in the 116th minute to give the Gunners the trophy at Molineux.
However, there were ugly scenes at full time when Hayes shoved Eidevall on the touchline.
The Arsenal boss has angered his Chelsea rival by rowing with Erin Cuthbert during the fixture.
Sky Sports pundit Sue Smith has been criticised online for refusing to condemn Chelsea boss Emma Hayes
SKY/BBC
Speaking to Sky, Smith defended Hayes and refused to condemn the Blues boss for her actions.
"I think you've got two very emotional managers," she said.
"They both clearly want to win every football match they plan in.
"I obviously watched the game, I see the incident with Jonas Eidevall and one team wanted the multi-ball system, one didn't.
"And then that changed when Chelsea went a goal down, you can see the frustrations there.
"He's a goal up, he wants to win the game. I didn't really see any of that, I then saw the altercation when they both came together and Emma Hayes was clearly frustrated, gave him a bit of a shove as she walked past.
"So I just think it's two managers who are very passionate about their football team, Emma Hayes really disappointed they didn't win the game and it just boiled over."
She added: "There has been tension between the two ever since Jonas came into the league, he did the knee slide, Emma didn't really like that.
"So there has been a few little things between the two of them and tensions just boiled over, I didn't really see that much."
But many have criticised Smith for refusing to condemn Hayes for her behaviour.
"This is incredible. No accountability," said one X user.
"How can anyone take the opinions of these people seriously. Keep throwing your budget on these hypocrites and see how much longer sky sports lasts," said a second.
A third weighed in by saying: "Double standards here. If that was the other way around he'd be sacked and fined by Arsenal."
A fourth said: "If it were the other way around, Sue would be spitting feathers."
A fifth reacted by saying: "Call it what it is. She is keeping malice and she is a bad loser."
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Emma Hayes left Jonas Eidevall bemused after pushing the Arsenal boss following Chelsea's defeat
BBC
And a sixth raged: "Embarrassed that you have not called it for what it is."
Hayes claimed Eidevall was to blame for 'male aggression'.
"I think there's a way to behave on the side of the pitch and not for the first time, I've been in women's football a long time and I don't think we should tolerate male aggression like we did today," she said.
"Fronting up or squaring up to a player is something that's unacceptable. I've never been booked in 12 years of my career but I think there's a way to behave on the touchline.
"He received a yellow card but perhaps should have been more."
Arsenal players celebrate with the Continental Cup trophy after beating Chelsea on Sunday
GETTY
Yet Eidevall has hit back, with the Arsenal boss saying: "My word on what was happening would be that before the game we had a discussion between the clubs about whether to use one ball or multi-ball system.
"In this situation, Arsenal said multi-ball, Chelsea said one ball. The decision was to play the final on a one ball system.
"The ball goes out of play, the Chelsea player wants a new ball to take a quick throw-in and I said 'we play with only one ball and you guys were the ones who decided that'.
"Obviously it drives all kinds of emotions in there, nothing more, nothing less. I can't see that I did anything, had any form of contact with anyone - either a player or a coach. That was it."
"To be honest I can't really take it seriously [being called an 'aggressor']."
