Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Evra's friendly dig at Tevez
PATRICE Evra has spiced up tonight's derby cup clash by claiming he finds it "painful" to see his old pal Carlos Tevez wearing a City shirt. And he claimed that the new Blue hero, who has been in scintillating form going into the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final, is still a United fan at heart. The Argentine ace went from hero to zero at Old Trafford after his cross-town switch in the summer, and he and the Reds' French left-back have been swapping banter in the build-up to the game. United fans were unhappy that Tevez snubbed a late United move to sign him in order to join the Blue revolution at Eastlands. That turned to anger when City put up a cheeky poster in Manchester city centre featuring Tevez and the slogan "Welcome to Manchester". But Evra has threatened to put the block on Tevez's dream of scoring against his old team. "I am very excited about this game. I get a text from Carlos every day," said Evra. "I congratulated him on his hat-trick against Blackburn but he replied that was just the warm-up for United! But I told him no chance. "I will do the same to him as I did in the league. I remember when he shot and I made a tackle at the last second. The ball hit the post because I touched it. "I have to do the same. I don't want him to score against us. It is still painful when I see him wearing a Manchester City shirt. "It was not easy for him to move because Carlos was a Manchester United fan in his heart. It was not easy for him. Now he is starting to play well and he is scoring a lot of goals. "For me, he is a champion guy. I am not surprised how well he is doing because he has a great mentality and a great spirit. He showed he was agood player when he was at Manchester United and now he is doing the same at City. "But I hope tonight he doesn't show that type of attitude against us." City boss Roberto Mancini believes that Tevez is in the mood to give his old club some serious problems. After a mediocre, injury-hit start to life with the Blues, Tevez has burst into spectacular life with 11 goals in his last 10 games, form which earned him the Barclays player of the month award for December. Mancini has admitted he expressed an interest in signing Tevez when he was Inter Milan manager - and says it was the little man's fighting spirit which most impressed him. "I liked him from the first time I saw him, because he is a fighter,"said Mancini. "He also scores some fantastic goals, and has quick feet, so he has it all. "I hope he can score again, against United in these two games, but not because it is a goal against his former club, but a goal for City." Evra threw some more spice into the mix when he claimed that the two teams have different aims going into the tie. He claims that United want the cup, but City only want the kudos of beating their rivals.
