Premier League side Aston Villa have threatened legal action against Jamie Carragher, the former Liverpool defender and football pundit, over remarks he made about the club and its fans.
Reuters reported on Saturday that Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris announced the club’s decision on Friday, calling Carragher’s comments “unacceptable insults.”
The threat came after comments Carragher made on the Stick to Football podcast, in which he told Villa supporters to “shut the f*** up” and said the club would “never be Manchester United.”
The former England international made those remarks while discussing speculation that linked Villa manager Unai Emery with a possible move to Manchester United, amid uncertainty over Michael Carrick’s position at Old Trafford.
“I’m not trying to annoy Villa fans, but there is a chain in football, whether you like it or not,” Carragher said.
He contended that certain clubs held a higher standing in football and were able to sign players and managers away from other teams, pointing to Real Madrid’s acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United as an illustration.
He went on to say that clubs ranked below Aston Villa could likewise take their manager or players before making the controversial comment about the club’s supporters.
In a statement cited by Reuters, Sawiris said, “Aston Villa will initiate legal action against Jamie Carragher for his unacceptable insults about the club and its fans.”
He added, “Aston Villa will not allow anyone to stop our ascension in English and European football.”
However, the club did not reveal the legal grounds for the proposed action and did not respond right away to Reuters’ request for comment.
Carragher likewise did not respond immediately to the news agency’s request for comment, but he later tried to calm the controversy, saying his remarks had been made in jest.
“It was a joke after the stick Villa fans have given me over saying Emery may fancy joining Man Utd,” he said in a social media post.
He also shared clips of earlier comments in which he praised Emery and Aston Villa, saying he had been pleased with the club’s victory in the 2026 Europa League final in Istanbul.
Carragher further insisted that his remarks reflected his admiration for the Spanish manager, whom he regards as one of the best coaches in the Premier League.
