Bournemouth striker Rayan has revealed he received a flood of Instagram messages from grateful Manchester City fans after his side stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal in April. The Cherries' 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium sent shockwaves through the title race, and City supporters were quick to show their appreciation.

The drama unfolded when Bournemouth wonderkid Junior Kroupi—a player City have reportedly been tracking ahead of the summer transfer window—opened the scoring. Arsenal hit back through Viktor Gyokeres' penalty, but Alex Scott's 74th-minute strike sealed a famous win that extended Bournemouth's unbeaten run to 12 games.

Rayan, who was substituted in the 70th minute and recently found the net against Crystal Palace, admitted he was surprised by the outpouring of support from the Etihad faithful. "Yes, there were indeed some messages on Instagram from the City fans, thanking us for the victory—especially the next day when they won against Chelsea 3-0," the Brazilian told ESPN. "I think each victory is very important, but we knew the difficulty of facing Arsenal. They are first in the Premier League."

The result proved crucial for Pep Guardiola's side, who closed the gap to six points with their own 3-0 triumph over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But the alliance between the two clubs will be short-lived. On May 19, Bournemouth and City will meet at the Vitality Stadium in a clash that carries massive stakes for both teams.

While City chase a third consecutive title, Bournemouth are fighting for European football. Currently sitting in the UEFA Europa League places on 52 points, Andoni Iraola's men are desperate to secure a historic continental berth. With everything on the line, the Vitality Stadium is set for a blockbuster encounter.