ASTON Villa are taking legal action against TV pundit Jamie Carragher over his ‘unacceptable insults’.
Villa co-owner and chairman, Nassef Sawiris, announced the controversial move on social media.
A short statement on the club’s own account appeared late on Friday night.
Sawiris has taken exception to Carragher’s remarks about Villa fans after urging Manchester United to make a move for manager Unai Emery – and that the Spaniard would want the Old Trafford job if Michael Carrick is sacked.
Carragher, speaking on the Stick to Football programme, said Villa supporters should shut the **** up and that ‘Aston Villa will never be Manchester United’.
Those comments have been met with anger behind the scenes at Villa Park.
And Sawiris confirmed the club would not stand for it.
He said: “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.”
Earlier this week, Carragher spoke about reigning Europa League-winning manager Emery and the United job – insisting the Villa boss would not turn down the chance to take charge.
He 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.
“So Real Madrid will take Manchester United’s best player, they did it with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“And there will be teams below Aston Villa, and they’ll take their players or manager, so shut the **** up Aston Villa fans. Aston Villa will never be Manchester United.”
Emery attended the Ballon D’Or awards this week and said: “I am so comfortable here.”
He has made the club his own over his four years in charge and has complete control over football affairs.
Emery is unlikely to have that level of influence if he were to move to United.
Last week, he made it clear that he aims to take Villa into the Champions League every season.
In the summer, he lost six of team who won the Europa League in May.
But he replaced them and has now rebuilt the squad – they will aim for a third successive league victory when they take on Fulham at Villa Park.