Gregg Berhalter challenged Michael Parkhurst to elevate his game Saturday night and the Crew SC captain responded, delivering a performance worthy of league honors.

With Gaston Sauro returning from injury, nobody needs to tell Parkhurst or fellow center back Nicolai Naess they must continue to play well to remain in the starting lineup.

Gregg Berhalter challenged Michael Parkhurst to elevate his game Saturday night and the Crew SC captain responded, delivering a performance worthy of league honors.

With Gaston Sauro returning from injury, nobody needs to tell Parkhurst or fellow center back Nicolai Naess they must continue to play well to remain in the starting lineup.

Sauro, who played a significant role in the team's playoff run a year ago, appeared close to full strength Monday during the portion of practice open to the media. He suffered a knee injury on May 21 against Toronto, sidelining him for the past 12 games.

Berhalter did not provide a definitive timetable for return but the Sept. 3 match against the L.A. Galaxy seems like a realistic option barring any setbacks.

"It's going to be up to how the medical staff sees him," the coach and sporting director said of the 6-foot-3, 190-pound defender who tore a posterior cruciate ligament. "I think he's progressing really well. There could be an opportunity to get him game time sooner than we think."

VIDEO: Gregg Berhalter discusses the upcoming return of Gaston Sauro

Sauro, 26, has been injury prone since acquiring him in last summer's transfer window, but there's no mistaking his impact when he plays. He adds size and snarl to the Crew's back line, one of MLS' smallest.

Listening to Berhalter speak Monday, there's little doubt the Argentine will play as soon as he receives medical clearance.

"He has a physicality that not many of our backs have," Berhalter said. "He's a very strong, aggressive, physical center back. Very good in the air. He'll win a lot of balls and he'll give (opposing) forwards a difficult time."

Once Sauro regains his fitness, who loses their starting job?

The 32-year-old Parkhurst has started all but one game since the beginning of the 2014 season. Like many teammates, he's struggled at times this year but was excellent in the 2-0 win over New England on Saturday night. He cleared a ball off the line and was stout in helping neutralize Kei Kamara. The MLS recognized the effort, naming him to its "team of the week."

"Mikey was a guy we asked more of him in this game," Berhalter said. "I had private conversation with him and I asked him for more. I said, 'it's going to be a difficult game' and he stepped up and then some. That's all you can ask."

Some believe the arrival of Naess ultimately spells the end of Parkhurst's time in Columbus. The four-time MLS All-Star and 2007 Defender of the Year is out of contract after this year.

Naess, 23, has played well in his two starts, demonstrating composure on defense and making good passes. He and Sauro seem like the center-back tandem of the future.

As for the present, Berhalter has decisions to make.

"We were at a point in this year where we had zero competition at that position," he said. "I think it's needed to help with performance. We're gonna have it when (Sauro) is back."

Other notes from Monday's training:

--- Left back Waylon Francis (shoulder), who missed Saturday's game, took part in practice. Berhalter isn't ruling him out for Wednesday's game against Philadelphia.

--- Berhalter lauded the performance of Hector Jimenez, the versatile veteran who started in place of Francis. Jimenez repeatedly denied Revolution wingers crosses into the 18-yard box. He also made a great pass to Justin Meram, setting up the Crew's first goal.

"Not only did he adjust, he excelled," the coach said. "He had the most touches on the field. He had the most balls won on our team. (It was) a very positive performance from Hector."

--- I've got one more blog post coming tonight on the key moment from Saturday's game. Dispatch columnist Michael Arace also has a Crew blog coming. I will link to both pieces here.

treed@dispatch.com

Twitter @treed1919