MLS 2020 season preview: MLS Cup winner & top goalscorer tips

Free MLS football tips for the 2020 season, best top goalscorer and MLS Cup best bets.

Best bets

Los Angeles FC to win MLS Cup
3pts 9-2 Betway

Columbus Crew to win MLS Cup
1pt each-way 40-1 bet365, Betway, Hills

Javier Hernandez top goalscorer
2pts each-way 9-1 bet365

Alan Pulido top goalscorer
1pts each-way 50-1 bet365

MLS 2020 season preview

In 2007 LA Galaxy sent shockwaves through the United States by signing midfield heavyweight David Beckham. Thirteen years later, the former Manchester United player is the latest Major League Soccer visionary, spearheading the formation of 2020 expansion side Inter Miami.

The Florida outfit are the main talking point before the opening weekend of the 25th MLS season despite some modest recruitment, the highlight of which was adding top midfield maestro Rodolfo Pizarro from Monterrey.

Beckham hopes MLS can compete with the European leagues in the next ten years but even with Concacaf Champions League-winning coach Diego Alonso in the dugout for the Herons - not the Flamingos as the crest may suggest - he may have to settle for a season of consolidation with his new club.

Nashville are the other new addition to the 2020 batch and have brought in experienced defender Walker Zimmerman and midfield starlet Hany Mukhtar from Denmark to avoid following the path of Cincinnati, who finished bottom in their debut season last year.

Top tip

Seattle Sounders lifted their second MLS Cup in four years with victory over Toronto in November's final and both clubs are near the top of the outright betting along with usual candidates LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls and New York City.

But punters should never avoid the obvious.

Los Angeles FC were the standout side last season, breaking the MLS points record on their way to winning the Supporters Shield, finishing 12 points clear of second in the overall table.

They have retained star striker Carlos Vela, whose tally of 34 goals and 15 assists was the best in a single MLS season, while superb Eduard Atuesta will once again pull the strings in midfield.

Defeat in the Conference Finals will have hurt but if they stick to their fluid, attacking brand of football under Bob Bradley they could go all the way this time.

Next best

Columbus Crew are an exciting pick for the trophy at 40-1. They failed to qualify for the post-season in 2019 but key full-backs Harrison Afful and Milton Valenzuela were missing last term and their return is a massive boost.

They already have the prolific forward required to cause a stir in Gyasi Zardes who posted 19 MLS goals in 2018 and 13 last year despite lacking the service of the aforementioned defenders out wide.

They broke their club record transfer to sign Argentinian playmaker Lucas Zelarayan while new striker Fanendo Adi has plenty of MLS experience under his belt.

Top goalscorer

Bookmakers struggle to separate Vela and Josef Martinez, who has scored 19, 31 and 27 goals in the last three campaigns, at the head of the top goalscorer market.

There is little disputing that but punters after more value should go for former Premier League talent Javier Hernandez at 9-1.

The Mexican will be under pressure to emulate the goalscoring of the departed Zlatan Ibrahimovic but this looks the right level for him and he should link up brilliantly with Boca Juniors loanee Cristian Pavon.

The big-price fancy has to be Hernandez's compatriot Alan Pulido at 50-1. The Sporting Kansas City capture from Guadalajara is in the prime of his career, has typically scored goals wherever he has played and was top scorer in Liga MX's Torneo Apertura last season.

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