php - Syntax error on return statement -

I am making this simple website, and I have been participating in this error:

My Function:

  & lt ;? Php function user_exists ($ username) {$ username = sanitize ($ username); $ Query = mysqli_query ($ connect, "SELECT COUNT (` user_id`) WHERE` username '=' $ user name 'from `users`); Return (mysqli_result ($ query, === 0) 1) Correct wrong ;}? & Gt;   
 My PHP error log:  
  PHP parse error: syntax error, unexpected '===' (T_IS_IDENTICAL)  
 I understand what is a syntax error, but I'm pretty sure that  '==='  is not a problem .   
 
 < P> Edit: I was only talking about state of the state and this answer is false because the  mysqli_result ()  function is not present.  
 I think you Trying to do this:  
  return mysqli_result ($ query) ===? True false;   
 And as Marcel Corpel said Use the prepared statement to avoid security flaws.