Stoke captain Shawcross saw red in the 52nd minute after clashing with Spurs goalscorer Danny Rose - earning a second yellow card after an earlier bodycheck on Christian Eriksen.
The decision incensed Stoke players and fans alike, with the remainder of the game played out in a tempestuous atmosphere.
Rose was arguably lucky to not be dismissed himself for shoving Geoff Cameron in the chest, with Sherwood moving to diffuse the tension by substituting his left-back soon after.
Though Sherwood did not believe the incident was completely blatant, he claimed referee Andre Marriner had ultimately arrived at the correct decision.
He said: "It was two bookings, what can you do?
"Listen, I like tackling and I don't want anyone to get sent off but it's two bookings.
"The referee had a decision to make and I thought he made the correct one.
"If he hadn't sent him off I wouldn't have been screaming to be honest."
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