Federico Higuain threaded the pass that set up Crew SC for its first goal in a 2-1 win over FC Dallas on Aug. 26. A little more than 20 minutes later, he crossed in a free kick that found the head of Jonathan Mensah for the Crew’s second goal.

After a seven-week detour, the Crew SC offense once again runs through Higuain, the midfielder who returned to the lineup last week after missing more than a month and a half with a right-knee sprain.

Higuain’s continued presence in the lineup will be crucial for a Crew team hoping to hang on to a playoff spot over its final six games. He is working his way back to full speed, even if he isn’t fond of the term.

“I don’t need too much speed to play this game,” he said. “I’m OK. I feel good.”

The Crew took its time with Higuain’s return, as pain management progressed to fitness building and, later, full training. The designated player from Argentina, who has nine goals and seven assists this season, played 63 minutes on Aug. 23 in a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy, then increased his workload to 88 minutes three nights later.

Injuries have not been common in Higuain’s six-year MLS career, but this year's lengthy absence was the second in as many years for the midfielder. Last year, he played just 20 games as he bounced back from hernia surgery. A tricky knee sprain this season was an unlucky occurrence in an early July practice.

“It was an accident between two teammates, but this happens. With our job, some days you are here and you are training, and something happens,” Higuain said. “It was a difficult injury to recover from because it’s a difficult spot in my knee, but now I’m OK.”

With Higuain out, the Crew added an extra defender to the lineup in a 3-4-2-1 formation and went 3-2-2 over seven consecutive Higuain absences from July 4 to Aug. 19.

But his return, along with the introduction of Portuguese midfielder Pedro Santos into the starting lineup, increased the fluidity of the attack, and the team earned back-to-back wins last month for just the third time this season.

Higuain has been a part of two Crew teams under coach Gregg Berhalter that have made late runs to reach the postseason, and he senses a similar mindset with the Crew (13-12-3) this season.

“This team likes to play important games. The mentality is there,” Higuain said. “Our goal as a team is to make the playoffs and then see what happens. We must be focused and do our jobs.”

And Higuain said he intends to do his job, despite knowing that this season could be his last with the Crew. Last month, he said 2017 was the “finish of the cycle” for him with the team. On Monday, he said he is able to separate his on-field responsibilities from contract talks.

“I’m just playing. I want to enjoy this part of the year and then see what we can do as a team,” Higuain said. “The other part of this situation is not easy. It’s not easy, but I am a professional.”

Midfielder and team captain Wil Trapp said “you would never even know” what is going on behind the scenes with Higuain’s contract situation based on the way he has practiced and played.

“I think that’s a credit to him as a teammate and as a professional because he wants to win just like all of us,” Trapp said. “Credit to him for not letting that bleed into the field and training.”

Berhalter said last month that he didn’t see Higuain’s concern about his future as abnormal and felt the situation was solvable. He held that same view Tuesday.

“What we want is for Federico to be the influencer that we know he can be, and I think for him, he can play an important role on this team. That’s what we’re looking forward to him doing,” Berhalter said. “All that other stuff, I think, will come. All that stuff develops over time, but it will certainly be there when he plays like he can.”

A healthy Higuain intends to “give my best” over the Crew’s final six games, plus whatever postseason action might come.

“And then we will have time,” Higuain said.

Time to work out a deal to return to Columbus?

“You never know,” he said with a smile.

aerickson@dispatch.com

@AEricksonCD