MLS outright predictions with 7/1, 28/1 & 16/1 tips
Sports Journalist at FST, Gareth qualified as a journalist after graduating from university and spent over a decade as a freelance broadcast journalist, commentator and tipster before joining FST. Now living in Manchester, he is a long suffering Bolton Wanderers fan who also enjoys boxing, the NBA, tennis and rugby league.
The new MLS season begins this weekend with a full round of fixtures across Saturday and Sunday and we’ve picked out a few outright options before the big kick off.
We’ll be posting regular tips over the course of the season but, before the action gets underway, we’ve picked out our best bet to win the MLS Cup.
Philadelphia Union well placed to go one better
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Philadelphia Union finished as the runners-up last season as they lost out in the MLS Cup to Los Angeles FC.
Philly reached the conference finals in 2021 and went one better last year, and this may well be their season to go all the way as they bid to land a maiden MLS Cup.
Union have managed to keep their squad largely intact and have made a few shrewd additions, particularly winger Joaquin Torres from CF Montreal.
Philadelphia and Montreal dominated the Eastern Conference last season, finished 10 and 12 points clear of New York City FC in third spot respectively. By signing Torres, Philly have managed to weaken a key rival as well as strengthen their own team and he is one of a number of players to leave the Canadian outfit – so Philly look the team to beat in the East once again.
As the defending champions, LA FC are rated as the preseason favourites to win the MLS Cup but their squad perhaps looks a little weaker on paper after a few departures, so of the frontrunners the Union stand out as they bid for a first MLS title.
Minnesota offer value as outsiders
With LA FC considered the favourites at 9/2 to go all the way, anyone looking for a big price outsider should consider teams in the Western Conference as four of the six favourites come from the East.
Improving Austin FC look a reasonable option at 14/1, but with each-way betting available the 28/1 on Minnesota United to take the title stands out after a solid campaign last year.
Minnesota came in sixth in the West and lost in the first round of the playoffs, falling short against Dallas after a penalties, but they have recruited well in the offseason. Mexican defender Miguel Tapias could prove to be a shrewd acquisition and Zarek Valentin brings plenty of experience after signing on from Houston Dynamo, while youngsters Mikael Marques and Cameron Dunbar have the potential to improve further.
Insigne can shine in first full season
Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar led the MLS scoring charts last season and he goes into the season as the favourite to finish as the top scorer again at 9/1.
Mukhtar should be there or thereabout again as he has an impressive 43 goals in 79 games, but at a bigger price Toronto FC’s Italian attacker Lorenzo Insigne appeals.
The 31-year-old is gearing up for his first full campaign in MLS but he got a taste of the competition last term with six goals in 11 games. The former Napoli man is potentially the best player in the league and if he can replicate the kind of output he managed in a brief stint last year over a full season there is every chance he will finish as the leading marksman in the MLS.
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