Fulham helped cement Jamie Carragher’s argument that Aston Villa will never be Manchester United. No, they know how to grind out a point on a bad day and can go to Barcelona on Tuesday with some confidence.

Villa’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki dropped Alex Iwobi’s corner over his own goalline to deny Unai Emery’s team a fifth win in six games after Nicolas Jackson’s eighth goal of the season had promised to lift a resurgent Villa back into the top third of the Premier League . Not even John McGinn’s missed penalty had looked set to deny them as they took control in the first period.

But while Villa were made to look below par by a Fulham side making it seven points from the last nine, the home supporters sang long and loud to make their manager know how much he is appreciated.

The Holte End had not waited long to voice their verdict on the spat between the former England international and the Villa chair.

Carragher had admitted that his words were “clumsy and wrong” after telling Villa fans “to shut the fuck…