CARRA APOLOGISES! Sky Sports pundit issues public statement saying sorry to Aston Villa after club threatened to take legal action

Jamie Carragher has issued a grovelling apology to Aston Villa after making comments which prompted the club to take legal action. Liverpool legend Carragher told Villa fans to 'shut the f*** up' and stop criticising him for his opinion on how big of a club they are, claiming that they will 'never be' on the level of Manchester United.

His comments were made this week on the Stick to Football podcast during a debate over whether Villa manager Unai Emery would leave to join United. Villa were furious and chairman Nassef Sawiris accused Carragher of voicing 'unacceptable insults'.

Carragher has now apologised by posting on social media platform X. "I'd like to apologise to Aston Villa, the owners & their fans," the 48-year-old wrote.

"My language this week was clumsy & wrong. I can assure Villa fans it was tongue in cheek but I can understand it's not come across that way, so apologies. Good luck today UTV!"

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Carragher is due to feature as a pundit for Sky Sports later this weekend. Appearing on the aforementioned podcast, the former defender said: "I think Unai Emery is unbelievable with what he does year after year.

"That amount of change, players needing time to settle and he does it year after year. But the reason I'm going to go back at Villa fans is I can't believe that a manager who is so successful in the Europa League - take a player, if you'd won the Europa League three or four times surely you'll then want to go for the Champions League.

"Aston Villa will never be Manchester United. I just think he didn’t do well at PSG or Arsenal, and maybe that’s because of egos in the dressing room and that sort of thing.

"But surely he would want that opportunity to manage a giant again. There is a chain in football, whether you like it or not. And there will be teams below Aston Villa, and they'll take their players or manager, so shut the f*** up Aston Villa fans. Aston Villa will never be Manchester United."

Shortly after 10pm on Friday, Villa posted in response: "Aston Villa will initiate legal action against Jamie Carragher for his unacceptable insults about the Club and its fans. Aston Villa will not allow anyone to stop our ascension in English and European football. Nassef Sawiris, Chairman."