New Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says a face-to-face meeting with Nassef Sawiris convinced him about returning to England.

Emery left Villarreal to succeed Steven Gerrard at Villa a fortnight ago and led his new team to victory over Manchester United at home on Sunday for the first time in 23 years.

He told Marca: "I had the first meeting with the president of the club, the Egyptian Nassef Sawiris and he always spoke to me in the first person, but always with the support of his partner Wesley Edens (Owner of the Milwaukee Bucks).

"He told me about an Aston Villa project, of history, of now and of what he wanted to build and of what he had seen in me. Of what I was capable of doing. He convinced me.

"He is an ambitious man of his word and has the conviction of the credibility that I have as a coach. He also had the agreement of his partner and of Christian (Purslow) and Johan (Lange) who are responsible for the day to day.

"As a coach I need a figure that looks me in the eye and conveys respect for the coach that I am."