MLS

Messi headlines 23-player MLS MVP shortlist

By Sports Desk October 08, 2024

Lionel Messi is one of 23 players to be nominated for the 2024 MLS MVP award, being joined on the shortlist by Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez.

Messi is considered the leading candidate to win the league's top individual prize after scoring 17 goals and contributing 10 assists in just 18 regular-season matches this year.

The Argentina legend has missed large chunks of the campaign through injury, recently sitting out two months with an ankle problem he sustained while representing his country in the Copa America final.

Yet only four players – D.C. United's Christian Benteke (23), Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga, the Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez (both 19) and Suarez (18) – have outscored him this term, and he also sits joint-eighth in the assist charts.

Suarez is the other Miami player to be nominated for the prize, having put himself in Golden Boot contention in his first season in the United States.

The Uruguayan's 18 league goals have come from chances with a total expected goals (xG) value of 12.04, giving him an overperformance of 5.96.

Only New York City's Alonso Martinez (6.13, 16 goals from 9.87 xG) and Messi (6.08, 17 from 10.92 xG) have overperformed their underlying figures by a greater margin.

Suarez is also up for the league's Newcomer of the Year award, alongside players including Hugo Lloris of LAFC and the Galaxy's leading scorer Gabriel Pec.

Last season's MVP, FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta, is in the running for the top prize once more after providing more direct goal involvements (30, 14 goals, 16 assists) than any other player in the league.

With Miami winning the Supporters' Shield and remaining on course to break the league's single-season points record (73 by the 2021 New England Revolution), head coach Gerardo Martino has been nominated for the Coach of the Year award.

The Colorado Rapids' Chris Armas, Greg Vanney of the LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew's Wilfried Nancy are considered among the other leading contenders.

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    United maintained their unbeaten start to the season but were not at their best against Villa as they struggled to create chances after a slow start to the match.

    The Red Devils managed just one shot on target, which came through Ella Toone in the 73rd minute, with Villa having the better of the chances as they created 1.94 expected goals compared to the hosts' 0.62.

    It was a third consecutive draw for United after winning their first three games of the league season, and Skinner admitted his frustration at the lack of wins in recent weeks.

    "It's OK, I'm allowed to not be happy - just as they are," Skinner told BBC Sport.

    "I was not happy because the game is fierce. At Manchester United, there is a massive expectation, and you have to be ready to hold yourself."

    "We want to push up the table, qualify for Europe and win leagues. But we are a brand-new team. The number of players I have had to buy to try and close the gap, and the actual time we have had together, we have had to accelerate. Not many teams in the world have to do it that quickly.

    "We need a little bit of calm, we know where we are headed."

    At the full-time whistle, the team was booed while there were also chants of “Skinner out” from the fans at Leigh Sports Village, but Skinner remains undaunted.

    "Part and parcel of being Manchester United manager, everyone can have their opinion," Skinner said about the jeers.

    "That's the job. For me, what I know is I can deliver winning football for this club. We've won the FA Cup and we are still unbeaten, and you still get that opinion, which is fine by me.

    "It doesn't deter me. It is about making sure our players are in the right space for a game of football."

    Villa, meanwhile, are one of two teams still without a win in the WSL this season, though they did register their third point under Robert De Pauw.

    While it was an improved showing from the Villans, they remain second from bottom in the table and the Dutchman expressed his disappointment at not being able to secure that elusive first victory.

    "I am a little bit sick of good performances without the three points. That frustrates me still," De Pauw told Sky Sports.

    "We are doing everything. We leave no stone unturned each week, but still, it doesn't happen. We have to keep believing, keep the faith, as Jurgen Klopp once said.

    "We can fight and play good football. It is time to reward ourselves."

  • Conte fumes at VAR after 1-1 draw with Inter Conte fumes at VAR after 1-1 draw with Inter

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    Hakan Calhanoglu failed to convert the spot kick in question late in the game, with the Turkish international having equalised for the hosts after Scott McTominay's opener.

    Despite the decision not affecting the result in the end, Conte criticised VAR for not overruling the referee's decision to penalise Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa for a foul on Denzel Dumfries. 

    "Can they [VAR] only intervene when it suits them? A decision from the referee like this can transform a match and VAR cannot do anything about it," Conte told DAZN.

    "Either VAR is there to correct errors or it is not. If there is an error, it has to intervene. It really angers me, but it does to all coaches. It has to intervene if there is a mistake.

    "If there is VAR, it must be used to correct errors or show the referee situations that he did not see. If it's a clear error, and it was, then why should [referee Maurizio] Mariani be allowed to just do that."

    Despite his frustration with refereeing decisions, Conte was satisfied with his team's performance, as they held strong against a spirited second-half display from the Italian champions.

    "I said that we would not come here to just be sparring partners against the strongest squad in Serie A, so it was important for us to face them with strength, character, accepting duels all over the field," he said.

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    "The lads are proving themselves, though, of course, we could've done much, much more in terms of quality today. There were too many errors, a lot of technical errors, but I am sure there will be further improvements."

    Napoli's point ensured they stayed top of Serie A heading into the international break, moving them to 26 points in what is shaping up to be a tight title race. Conte's side sit one point clear of Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio.

  • Premier League MD11: Lucky winners and unlucky losers Premier League MD11: Lucky winners and unlucky losers

    The final international break of 2024 is here, and we can safely say the Premier League is starting to take shape.

    Opta's supercomputer now has Liverpool, who are five points clear at the top following their win over Aston Villa on Saturday, as the favourites to go on and win the title.

    Manchester City lost a fourth straight game in all competitions as they went down 2-1 at Brighton, while Chelsea and Arsenal are third and fourth respectively after sharing the points.

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    Lucky winners: Manchester United

    Manchester United are now under new management, with Ruben Amorim officially starting as head coach on Monday. But interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy ensured he went out with a high as the Red Devils beat Leicester City 3-0 on Sunday.

    However, it is fair to say United were rather fortunate to net three times at Old Trafford, with the data suggesting they did not even create chances worthy of one goal, never mind three.

    United's expected goals (xG) was 0.69, the third-lowest total in the league this weekend and behind Leicester's 0.77.

    Bruno Fernandes scored one and set up another on his 250th appearance for the club, either side of Victor Kristiansen's own goal, but from 13 shots, United, who had only 17 touches in Leicester's box, really did not create much in the way of quality opportunities.

    Indeed, their attacking quality instead told, with Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho finishing well. At the other end, Leicester failed to make their moments count, despite hitting the target with five of their six shots.

    Spare a thought for Erik ten Hag, given when he was in charge, United's attack was underperforming. Now Amorim just needs to pick up where Van Nistelrooy left off...

    Unlucky losers: Manchester City

    Man City are suddenly the crisis club, having lost four straight games for the first time since August 2006. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has lost four games in a row in all competitions for the very first time in his managerial career.

    Erling Haaland also lost a Premier League match in which he scored a goal for the very first time, having put City ahead before Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley clinched the points for Brighton.

     

    Brighton finished with 2.29 xG, so they did deserve to score at least twice. However, City can still consider themselves unfortunate, given their 2.22 xG was the third-highest of any team across the weekend.

    Their post-shot expected goals on target (xGoT) also rose to 2.98, showing that Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was on fine form.

    City also created five big chances, missing four of them, and hit the woodwork once. That being said, they conceded eight big chances, with Brighton letting them off for six of those, so it was not a good day at the office for Guardiola.

    Unlucky losers: Bournemouth

    If Man City were unfortunate, then the team to have created the highest xG (2.61) this past weekend – Bournemouth – can consider themselves hard done by.

    Andoni Iraola claimed his team were worthy of the three points against Brentford, despite the Cherries losing 3-2, and the underlying metrics suggest the Spaniard was fair in his assessment.

     

    Only Tottenham (35 in their loss against Ipswich Town) had more touches in the opponent's box than Bournemouth's 34 at the Gtech Community Stadium, but Iraola's side were made to pay for some dismal finishing.

    Their xGoT dropped to 1.68, while Brentford's rose from 1.48 xG to 1.84 xGoT – essentially, the level of finishing from Brentford's players increased the likelihood they would score, while Bournemouth's finishing was below what would have been anticipated based on the quality of chances they had. That is further backed up by the fact the Cherries only got three of their 15 attempts on target.

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