RAYAN CHERKI has arrived in Manchester with a score to settle – and says he wants to ‘kill’ United.
The £30.4million City new boy was part of the Lyon team who were dramatically beaten at Old Trafford in the Europa League quarter finals.
The French international, 21, was even snapped goading the home fans by rubbing his groin after scoring in extra time that night.
So when the Prem fixtures for next season are released later this week, there is only one fixture he will be looking for.
Cherki said: “I didn’t like it when Manchester United won the game against Lyon because I am a Lyon fan.
“Now I am waiting for the game to kill them. I just wanted to go to Manchester City.”
Cherki was regularly linked with a move to Old Trafford during his early years – after making his Lyon debut at 16.
But their stunning comeback in April – capped by Harry Maguire’s 120th-minute winner – ended Cherki’s hopes of signing off from his boyhood club with a trophy.
Yet he hopes he can make up for that by winning the lot on the blue side of Manchester in the coming years.
He was sold a vision by Pep Guardiola which convinced him he was making the right move.
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
Cherki added: “When I spoke with Pep and he wanted me – he was very, very clear. That the system, the club, the city is very good.
“I want to win and I think City wants to win it all. For me that’s better.”
LOVE rivals Sam Thompson and Louis Tomlinson were pictured together tonight ahead of Soccer Aid.
It followed a peace dinner to clear the air over their mutual connection to Zara McDermott.
Read The Sun’s Soccer Aid live blog here
Sam split from Zara, who is now in a relationship with Louis, just before Christmas after five years together.
The pair had already crossed paths on the training pitch last week, prior to Sam pulling out of tonight’s game due to injury.
Both men looked relaxed this evening as they milled around their hotel with fellow squad members.
Dressed in matching suits, Louis stood beside hockey ace Sam Quek, while Sam was near to England XI manager Wayne Rooney.
We exclusively revealed last night how the ex-One Direction star and I’m A Celeb winner are determined to put any awkwardness over Zara behind them.
Their dinner included some teammates and took place at Champneys spa in Tring, Herts, where they have been training for the match at Old Trafford.
A source said: “There is no beef between the pair and they’re both going to ensure their love lives don’t distract from such a big charity spectacle.
“They are fully aware that their every move is being scrutinised and they’ve broken bread with their teammates, so it’ll be smooth sailing on the day.”
Zara has already ruled herself out of attending the star-studded match.
Sam presented a video of his charity work in Guatemala to both sets of players, something he found much more nerve-racking than meeting Louis.
He said: “I did a small talk in front of everyone, which was terrifying, and I maintain I think it’s the most important thing I’ve done in my 32 years of life.
“I really do believe that. Getting to go to Guatemala to see what UNICEF do on the ground is just life-changing.”
Sam suffered injuries during his 260-mile running and cycling trek between London and Manchester, in aid of UNICEF, ahead of the match.
He explained: “I’m now part of the coaching team, so I’m going to be on the sidelines along with Vicky McLure and also Tyson Fury, and I’m going to be putting my two pence in.
“But I will still get to be part of it all.”
LONE plane crash survivor Vishwash Ramesh got the best Father’s Day gift yesterday when his son, four, sent best wishes.
Vishwash, 40, is in a hospital a mile from where Air India flight 171 crashed killing 241 on board and at least 29 on the ground.
But he is on the mend after his incredible escape and will be reunited with his wife and son in the coming days.
They are among family who have flown to India.
Cousin Hiren said: “He is getting better day by day.
“Relatives have been to see him and he was able to speak to his son by phone yesterday on Father’s Day.” Vishwash, of Leicester, was in seat 11A on Thursday’s flight to Gatwick.
He has said the Boeing 787 Dreamliner suffered a catastrophic power loss seconds after take-off in Ahmedabad.
He said: “The lights started flickering green and white.
“Everything happened in seconds. I realised we were going down. Everyone around me was either dead or dying. I thought I was about to die, then I opened my eyes and realised that I was alive.”
He crawled through a hole in the wreckage and walked to an ambulance.
Brother Ajay, who was in the same row but on the other side of the aisle, was killed.
Meanwhile, a mum who died in the crash had been reluctant to leave eight-year-old son Meer for the first time, a friend has said. Abdhiben Patel, 40, had flown to India two weeks earlier to care for her mother.
Atif Karim, a colleague at Zone Beauty Studio in Northampton, said: “She didn’t want to go. She told me, ‘I don’t like being away from him’.
“It was her first time leaving him, and she was very nervous, not excited. It was a sense of duty. Her mum was unwell but you could tell it was weighing on her.”
Mr Karim said tensions between India and Pakistan added to Mrs Patel’s worries, saying: “All the flights were getting cancelled. It didn’t feel like the right time.”
Mrs Patel, whose husband Pankaj worked nights, was devoted to her son.
Mr Karim said: “She was the most diligent, reliable worker I’ve ever had. But more than that, she was our friend.
“She was bubbly, kind, always smiling. She had a way of putting people at ease and took an interest in their lives.”
