Chris Hughton described the sending-off of midfielder Davy Propper as "harsh" following Brighton's 1-1 draw with Huddersfield.
Brighton were forced to play the final 16 minutes with 10 men after referee Anthony Taylor deemed Propper had been guilty of serious foul play in a 50-50 challenge with Jonathan Hogg.
The Dutchman was shown a straight red card following the incident, but Brighton manager Hughton sympathised with his midfielder over the flashpoint at the Amex Stadium.
He said: "I think it's harsh and it's up to a referee if he wants to give it or not. There will be numerous challenges like that up and down the country where it wouldn't be given as a red card.
"I think the referee has given it because where he's standing, his view couldn't have been good enough. So I feel it's one of those where it depends on the day whether they want to send him off or not.
"But certainly you will have enough of those challenges where you wouldn't show a red card."
Propper, who is now set to serve a three-match ban - meaning he will miss games against Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Burnley - came close to giving Brighton the lead inside the first minute but he fired wide when through on goal.
But Brighton did go ahead when Solly March's shot ricocheted off goalkeeper Jonas Lossl and into the net despite the Danish goalkeeper's best attempts to keep it out.
Huddersfield recovered to level just four minutes later after Steve Mounie took full advantage of a mistake by Shane Duffy to round Mat Ryan and slot home, but it was the hosts who came closest to finding a winner.
Lewis Dunk and Jose Izquierdo both missed second-half opportunities and Brighton head to south London to face Crystal Palace next Saturday seven points above the relegation zone.
Hughton feels his players are capable of handling the added scrutiny given their difficult run-in, adding: "They all become bigger, whenever you don't get the result you want.
"It's only ourselves that put us in this position. It's up to us to turn up next week (at Crystal Palace) as the Brighton of the last few months.
"We've got a lot of spirit and quality but we're in a position where there's a bit more pressure that comes with it, and the players have to rise to the challenge. They've been used to that over the past couple of seasons."