Premier League club Aston Villa have threatened legal action against former Liverpool defender and football pundit Jamie Carragher over remarks the club described as unacceptable insults against its supporters and management.

Villa chairman, Nassef Sawiris, announced the club’s position on Friday in a statement posted on its social media platforms, saying it would pursue legal action against the former England international.

The controversy followed comments Carragher made on the Stick to Football podcast while discussing speculation linking Villa manager Unai Emery with a possible move to Manchester United.

Carragher told Villa supporters to stop criticising his suggestion that Emery could consider managing Manchester United, adding that Aston Villa would never attain the same standing as the Old Trafford club.

He argued that football had an established hierarchy in which certain clubs could attract players and managers from other teams, citing Real Madrid’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United as an example.

Sawiris said Villa would not tolerate the remarks, adding that the club would not allow anyone to obstruct its progress in English and European football.

The club, however, did not specify the legal grounds for the proposed action.

Carragher initially played down the controversy, saying his comments were intended as a joke following criticism from Villa supporters over his remarks about Emery.

He also shared previous footage of himself praising the Spanish manager and the club, maintaining that his comments reflected his admiration for Emery rather than disrespect towards Aston Villa.

On Saturday, Carragher apologised to the club, its owners and supporters, describing his language as clumsy and wrong.

He said the remarks were intended in a tongue-in-cheek manner but acknowledged that they had not been received as intended.

Carragher, 48, is a former Liverpool defender who has worked as a football pundit for Sky Sports and CBS since retiring from professional football in 2013.