Aston Villa says it will take legal action against Carragher

Aston Villa says it intends to take legal action against Jamie Carragher over comments about manager Unai Emery and the club’s supporters, escalating a dispute that began after the former Liverpool defender discussed Emery as a possible Manchester United manager. The club announced its position in a statement attributed to chairman Nassef Sawiris and shared on Villa’s social media channels. It said it would initiate legal action against Carragher for what it called unacceptable insults about the club and its fans, adding that Villa would not allow anyone to stop its progress in English and European football. The statement establishes Villa’s intention to act, but the reports do not establish that court proceedings have been filed or specify the legal basis or remedy the club would seek. Carragher’s remarks came during a discussion on the Stick to Football podcast. He argued that Emery might want the chance to manage a larger club and pursue success in the Champions League, and said there was a hierarchy in football in which teams could take players or managers from clubs below them. He told Villa fans to “shut the f*** up.” The comments followed criticism from Villa supporters...