Kitson had only been on the pitch for 37 seconds before was sent off by referee Rob Styles for a lunge at Patrice Evra.
"I have looked at it again and his foot probably was a little bit high," said Reading boss Steve Coppell.
"Possibly he deserved to be sent off but Dave is not a dangerous player."
Although his conservative game-plan, aimed at avoiding the trouncing Fulham suffered at Old Trafford on the opening day of last season, worked to perfection, Coppell was upset at the reaction afterwards.
"After watching the guys on TV, I almost feel like I have to apologise," he said.
"It does bother me because I want people to think we are more than just a defensive side.
"But your season-long dreams can be shattered very quickly here. I would have loved to have gone 4-4-2 and seen what happened but we would have got hammered."
Meanwhile Kitson was stunned by his dismissal and urged Styles to look at it again.
He told Sky Sports News: "I can't believe it was a straight red card and I'd implore Rob Styles to have a second look at it.
"I know I caught him (Evra) - I was trying so desperately to stop him clearing the ball up the pitch...sometimes you are successful and sometimes you miss.
"The last words to me were 'show passion on the pitch, stop them playing and try to sneak a goal'.
"It's a yellow card - but a straight red...I'm lost for words."
