New York City FC striker David Villa scored 23 goals last season as he won the 2016 MLS MVP award. And for nearly all of 2017, Villa, who leads MLS with 19 goals this season, has been expected to claim the award for the second year in a row.

But that changed Saturday night as Diego Valeri went to New York City and netted a goal for the seventh-consecutive game to lead the Portland Timbers to a 1-0 win over Villa's NYCFC.

With the goal, Valeri solidified his spot in the MLS MVP race.

"I think he's worthy of being in that conversation certainly based on the obvious reasons, his form, his production," Timbers coach Caleb Porter said. "He's having a career year."

At 31, Valeri is having his best season since joining MLS. The Argentine playmaker, who is a four-time MLS All-Star and has twice been named to the MLS Best XI, became just the fourth player in MLS history to score in seven consecutive games and set a Timbers single-season record when he netted his 17th goal of the year at NYCFC last Saturday. He is now tied for second in MLS in goals scored.

With his output this season, Valeri has also surpassed Fanendo Adi to set a new Timbers career record in goals scored with 54 and is just four assists away from tying the club career assist record of 55. Valeri, who has nine assists this year, has the opportunity to become just the second MLS player to record 20 goals and 10 assists in a single season.

"Individually, it's good," Valeri said. "But my focus is on the team. When you're playing in the middle of the season, you're not thinking about (statistics). I'm thinking about the next (game). When the season is done, you can sit down in your home and think about it."

While many might still see Villa as the front-runner to win MLS MVP due to his goal production this season, the incredible impact that Valeri has had on the Timbers shouldn't be overlooked.

Over the last seven games, Valeri has put the club on his shoulders, enabling Portland (12-9-8, 44 points) to not only keep pace, but jump to second place in the Western Conference standings, despite missing Adi (hamstring injury) for five of those seven outings. Even with Adi's absence and just minimal production from the club's wingers in recent weeks, Portland has gone 3-1-1 in the last five games thanks in large part to Valeri's attacking prowess and adaptability.

Now, despite struggling in the middle of the season, Portland is on pace to finish the year with their second highest point total as an MLS club, behind just 2013 when the squad finished first in the Western Conference.

"I think we have a good team, a strong team," said Valeri, who made sure to credit his success this season to the talent of the players around him.

During his time with the Timbers, Valeri has always found a way to put his mark on games and lead Portland to key results.

Valeri entered MLS in 2013 primarily as a playmaker with the ability to find goals in big moments. He recorded a career-high 14 assists in 2014. But while Valeri has continued to consistently chip in assists over the last two years, his goal scoring production has increased dramatically during that time. Valeri recorded 14 goals and four game-winning goals in 2016. He already has five game-winning goals this season.

"It's the way I want to be, thinking all the time about the team and in what capacity you can help," Valeri said. "If you can help, it's good. That's the way that I want to play."

With five games left in the regular season, Valeri doesn't appear to be slowing down.

He will be focused on continuing to find goals and assists in the final stretch of the year to help the Timbers secure a playoff berth and earn the best possible seed in the Western Conference.

And if he continues to produce like he has, Valeri should be serious contender for the MLS MVP award.

"He's always been a key player for us over the five years and always produced goals, but you have to say he's hotter than ever right now," Porter said. "That's great for him. That's great for our team."

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg