Former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith interviewing Unai Emery is the best thing you'll see today

Dean Smith and Unai Emery shared a brilliant exchange ahead of Aston Villa's clash against West Ham.

The West Midlands club host the Hammers in a fascinating clash at Villa Park on Sunday, with just two points separating them in the Premier League table.

A win for either side would see them leapfrog Newcastle into the European places, following a strong start to the campaign from both Emery and David Moyes.

Ahead of kick-off, Emery was interviewed by former Villa manager Smith in an incredibly heartwarming moment.

Upon seeing Emery, the 52-year-old shook his successor's hand, and with a beaming smile on his face, exclaimed: "How are you, okay?"

Before he could continue, Emery interrupted: "Thank you for everything," referring to what Smith had done for Villa in the past.

Smith went on to praise the Spaniard for what he has achieved at the club, saying: "You can feel the connection here in the stadium and I know what they're like when they're behind you, and you've managed to do that straight away which is really impressive."

Dean Smith was sacked by Villa after five consecutive defeats in November 2021, with Emery subsequently taking over from Steven Gerrard in October 2022, where he has gone on to become a roaring success.

SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.