Fulham boss Marco Silva insisted his goalkeeper Bernd Leno "touched" but "didn't push" a ball boy during the Cottagers’ 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth.
The second-half incident occurred when Leno went to collect the ball from the youngster’s outstretched hand before using his own hand to make deliberate contact with the shoulder of the ball boy, who appeared to take a step back for balance.
Leno, who seemed to take issue with the speed at which the ball was being returned, and had already been booked, was subjected to a chorus of boos.
The 31-year-old German later returned to apologise to the boy for the encounter, though his manager was adamant the interaction had been exaggerated.
Silva said: "Have you seen him pushing? I didn’t see this. Yes, he apologised. I spoke with Bernd about it.
"It’s clear he went to speak with the boy after that moment as the top professional that he is, the really experienced player that he is as well.
"He wanted to play quick. The ball boys, I don’t know who gave them instructions to hold always the ball to delay the beginning of the game again. OK, we are losing, he ran to the ball. I didn’t see him pushing.
"He touched the ball boy, he didn’t push the ball boy. They are different things, when you touch a ball boy or you push a ball boy. I am not English but I know the difference between one word and the other, and we have to say the truth in that moment."
Elsewhere, Luton boss Rob Edwards said South Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged racist comment towards Carlton Morris in his side's win at Sheffield United.
The striker complained of a comment made from the home crowd late in the second half, which left him "pretty angry", and the police have spoken to him.
It soured what was a great day for Morris as he came off the bench to create two own goals in four minutes which earned the Hatters a vital 3-2 victory in the crunch basement Premier League battle at Bramall Lane.
Edwards said: "There was an alleged racist comment, the police are dealing with that, they have spoken to Carlton and got his take on it, so it is with them now; I have no more comment on it.
"He is alright – he was, at the time, pretty angry but he seems fine now."
United boss Chris Wilder added: "There was a comment that was made and the referee came over to speak to me and Rob from a racial point of view, which is obviously not great if found to be the case."
Morris was seen talking to Sam Allison – who became the first black referee to officiate a Premier League match in 15 years – and the fourth official on the sidelines and later the Luton striker said he had reported the incident straightaway.
He told Amazon Prime: "The Premier League have been great at telling us protocols and explaining that to us. I heard something from the crowd in the front row unfortunately and I just knew it’s best to get that reported straight away and let them deal with it from there."
