Carson returned to Liverpool at the end of the season and in June 2007, Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez confirmed that he would be part of the first-team squad for the 2007–08 season, saying "He must fight with Pepe Reina now for a starting place." Carson remained second choice to Reina, however, and faced further competition following the signing of Charles Itandje in August 2007; as a result, Carson was loaned out again, this time to Aston Villa at a cost to Villa of £2 million. Benitez said of the deal, "We do not want to sell him, we are very happy with Scott. But he needs to play to keep up his England place." Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill preferred Carson to Thomas Sørensen and Stuart Taylor, and Carson played in all but three of Villa's 38 league matches, missing the two matches against Liverpool as he was ineligible to play, and kept 11 clean sheets during the 2007–08 season. He received the first red card of his career when he fouled Carlos Tevez in Villa's 4–1 Premier League defeat to Manchester United.