Phil Neville challenges Gonzalo Higuain to be ‘difference-maker’ against FC Cincinnati
The last time Inter Miami played FC Cincinnati, at the tail end of the 2021 season, Gonzalo Higuain took eight shots, scored a goal, and tallied three assists to lead Miami to a 5-1 victory — its most lopsided win in the club’s two-year history.
Coach Phil Neville has challenged Higuain, the team’s lone remaining Designated Player and one of the highest-paid players in the league, to aim for that kind of performance against Cincinnati on the road Saturday (1 p.m., My33).
Higuain is scoreless through three games for Inter Miami (0-2-1) but did have the assist on the team’s lone goal. Miami has been outscored 7-1 thus far this season.
It will likely be harder to score against Cincinnati this time, as that squad looks much improved under new coach Pat Noonan and general manager Chris Albright and is energized after a win over Orlando City.
But Neville believes Higuain should be “a difference-maker” and be the spark for the team’s anemic offense. Higuain was subbed in the second half against LAFC last Saturday. Forward Robbie Robinson and attacking midfielder Bryce Duke are coming back from injury, and Neville said that gives him “fantastic options” up front.
“If your quality players are not performing, you bring them off the pitch, you make changes because we’ve got competition,” he said. “I’ve been in this league 14 months and what I’ve seen is the star players, the DPs and TAM players [targeted allocation money players], are the difference-makers. You need your best players to stand up and deliver.”
Higuain switched his jersey number from No. 9 to No. 10 this year and he likes to drop back to a playmaker position, as he often did last season, but Neville still expects him to score.
“The only thing different is the number on back, and that doesn’t dictate my perception of where he should be and what’s expected of him,” Neville said. “We give him creativity and freedom to find space because he’s got the quality and experience to find the goal and help the team. I expect him to score and assist against Cincinnati.
“We want our best strikers in the box, and he is our best striker. There’s no hiding from that. He’s our best finisher, most composure. At training we tally up goals, and he scores the most. We need to see that in games. “
Neville has been impressed with Cincinnati this season and said he sees influence and traits from the Philadelphia Union, as Noonan and Albright worked there.
“Looking at them the last three games, they are night and day from the team last year, the togetherness, spirit and shape,” Neville said. “Their coach has done a terrific job.”