André Villas-Boas asked for a Tromso supporter who chanted that he would be "sacked in the morning" to be removed from his seat behind the dug-out during Tottenham Hotspur's 2-0 Europa League victory in Norway on Thursday evening.

The Tottenham manager said that he was "immune" to all criticism as the pressure on him mounted in the wake of last Sunday's 6-0 defeat at Manchester City.

His position has come under scrutiny at boardroom level, with the City humiliation representing the low point of a difficult period, which has featured home losses to West Ham United and Newcastle United and a worrying struggle for offensive fluency in the Premier League. He sorely needs a positive result and performance against Manchester United at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

But Villas-Boas snapped during the Tromso tie when he heard Reidar Stenersen Jr taunting him over his job prospects. Stenersen, a 29-year-old hairdresser who supports Manchester United, directed the chant at Villas-Boas in the early stages of the game. When he did it again at half-time and Villas-Boas pointed at him, he found himself removed by security.

Stenersen was told that he could return to watch the second half from the stand on the opposite side of the ground but he declined and retired to the pub.

"I first sung after five minutes that he would be 'sacked in the morning' and he looked at me," Stenersen told the Norwegian newspaper Nordlys. "At the half-time whistle, when it was still 0-0 and I started the same song, he pointed at me and suddenly the security came and threw me out.

"I know he is under a lot of pressure so I think my words hit him, even though I am only a little guy in little Tromso. He was being a bit petulant. This is the same thing that can be sung by 60,000 at the Emirates Stadium or other grounds."

Tromso's head of security, Hans-Thore Hanssen, confirmed that a fan had been moved after Villas-Boas made a complaint to the Uefa inspector. "He was asked to move to the other side," Hanssen said. "I was not there when the incident happened so what he may have shouted, I cannot say.

"But I know that he [Villas-Boas] had spoken to the Uefa inspector who, in turn, spoke to our security. The situation was handled correctly. If there is verbal abuse shouted, the supporter should be spoken to and, in some cases, thrown out. In this type of match, there is greater security."