Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Martin Taylor should "never play football again" after the Birmingham captain's tackle broke Eduardo's leg.
Eduardo went down in the third minute of the Premier League encounter and Taylor was shown a straight red card.
"The tackle was horrendous and this guy should never play football again," Wenger told BBC Sport.
But Blues boss Alex McLeish responded: "Martin's not a dirty player. He's distraught over Eduardo's injury."
Interview: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger
Interview: Birmingham boss Alex McLeish
Eduardo, 24, remained lying on the pitch for seven minutes as medical staff attended to him before he was stretchered off and taken to Selly Oak Hospital.
In slow motion these tackles look bad but he's not a malicious player - Eduardo was just too quick for him
McLeish on Taylor
Wenger hit out at the way he feels his team have been targeted by opponents.
"It goes with the idea that to stop Arsenal you have to kick Arsenal and that kind of thing was waiting to happen," he said.
"Many people have got away with too many bad tackles. We've escaped a few times but it's just not acceptable. If that is football it's better to stop it.
"The worst thing you hear after is that 'he's not the kind of guy who usually does that', but you need to only kill one person one time - it's enough."
McLeish, however, sprang to the defence of his player.
"I've seen the challenge and, yes, the studs land on Eduardo's ankle. In slow motion these tackles always look bad but he's not a malicious player - Eduardo was just too quick for him," he explained.
"The referee's done his job, it's a sending off, but Taylor's not a malicious player."
The minimum is his season is over and we are scared that it is much longer
Wenger on Eduardo
The seriousness of the injury was apparent as both sets of players and medical staff looked shocked while Eduardo was treated on the pitch.
The Brazilian-born striker now looks certain to miss out on Croatia's participation at Euro 2008 in June.
"It was a massive shock for the team. They've seen what kind of state he was in," Wenger added.
"He's a fantastic guy and to see him in such pain and the shape of his leg was very difficult for the players.
"We hope he comes back quickly but the minimum is his season is over and we are scared that it is much longer."
Wigan boss Steve Bruce, who signed Taylor from Blackburn when he was Blues boss in February 2004, said his former player would never intentionally hurt anyone.
"Martin Taylor is the biggest, gentlest man," said Bruce. "There will be nobody more upset and sickened than him, there is not a bad bone in his body.
"He would never, ever do anything malicious. He has mis-timed the tackle, and I've seen it. Some would say it is not even a yellow card."
Quite shocking. I was watching the match on TV and was shocked when it happened. Was it on purpose or not? I'd say maybe. He missed the ball and tackled Eduardo's foot. They didn't even play the replay thats how bad it looked from a close angle. His foot literally snapped at the ankle. His teammates were shocked too. They we're holding their heads and looking up at the sky. I got a feeling that they could not believe what they saw. Eduardo didn't deserve this. His season is ruined and he won't be able to represent Croatia on the European Cup in June. Not to mention that he is gonna be out of football for like a year.
The pictures are quite shocking, but If you want to see them here they are:
http://www.rtvslo.si/sport/modload.php? ... c_id=38138
Thats a Slovenian site, but it has some pics and a video of it. Just go down the page.
Your thoughts?
