Wolves boss Pereira told BBC Match of the Day: “When the situation happened I was looking for the ball.
“It means that I didn’t see the situation, but football is emotional and the level was very high today. Not only inside the pitch, but outside [the pitch]. With a lot of pressure, and in the end these are things that can happen.
“You know now he is frustrated, he is better in my opinion. I never speak to the team when we are nervous or frustrated. It is better to wait one day and think about everything. After we can have a talk.
“Of course, he is an important player, but next game we play with 11 and start with 11.”
Speaking in his post-match news conference, he added: “Matheus is a special player and today he played extra time. The last three weeks he has a problem in the hamstring and he tried.
“I didn’t see the situation. Don’t ask me about it because I was looking at the other end. In the end the referee decided the red card.”
Asked about whether Cunha deserves another chance, Pereira added: “Of course, he is important but I cannot speak about what I don’t know. It is important to check the situation, to look for what happened because I was looking for the other side.
“The others say to me he kick, he punch, he do what he did with the head and the player went to hospital? No, OK. But it is a situation that cannot happen of course.
“To judge the situation, I must have the clear image in my mind.”
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola criticised the decision to show Kerkez a yellow card in the Cunha clash. It was was the defender’s second in this season’s FA Cup and means he will be banned from playing in the quarter-final tie.
“Milos Kerkez has received a yellow card for adopting an aggressive attitude,” said Iraola. “After what they have done to Milos Kerkez, they should reward him because [of] the attitude he has.
“They punch him, they kick him on the floor, they headbutt him and he doesn’t react! You punish this? I will have to say to Milos [that] probably I cannot do as well as a player.
“The prize is they show him a yellow card and he will not play the quarter-final. Yes, I am very disappointed with the refereeing.”
