Like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez is irreplaceable for Inter Miami and serves as another coach on the field, interim boss Guillermo Hoyos declared after the Herons' winning MLS return.

Miami emerged from the World Cup break with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, despite Messi and Rodrigo De Paul being absent following Argentina's run to the World Cup final.

New signing Casemiro was also absent for Miami, who saw Suarez score twice as Robert Lewandowski failed to make an impact on his Chicago debut.

Suarez led all players for shots (five), shots on target (three) and expected goals (1.47 xG) in that match, also winning four of his five duels.

The 39-year-old has eight goals in 12 MLS appearances – eight of which have been starts – this year, overperforming his underlying figure of 6.58 expected goals (xG).

"Like our number 10, these are players who make a difference," Hoyos said of Suarez after Miami's midweek victory. 

"They express themselves on the field with their tactical intelligence from all the experiences they have had, and they know their bodies and minds. 

"They have seen more than the coaching staff. I am not sure these players will be replaced in the future."

Suarez's contract with Miami expires at the end of this season, but he told Apple TV that he has no intention of calling it quits any time soon.

"Despite my age, I still have the ambition to keep playing," Suarez said. "It's my passion I've had since I was a kid. I've had to earn everything since I was a kid. I'll keep giving it my all to keep playing football."

Miami will again be without Messi and De Paul when they visit CF Montreal on Saturday. While Hoyos' team are second in the Eastern Conference, their upcoming opponents are 13th, four points adrift of the playoff picture.

Montreal lost 1-0 to the East's top side, Nashville SC, on Wednesday, and they are now winless in five games either side of the World Cup break (D3 L2).

Prior to that downturn, Philippe Eullaffroy had overseen three wins in his first four matches after taking charge on an interim basis in April.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

CF Montreal – Prince Owusu 

Owusu has scored more than twice as many goals in MLS this year as any of his Montreal team-mates (nine, Wiki Carmona has four).

He has overperformed his 6.55 expected goals (xG) by +2.45, while hitting the target with just over half of his shots (16/31).

Inter Miami – Luis Suarez

Only Messi (12) has bettered Suarez's eight goals for Miami in MLS play this year, despite the Uruguayan being restricted to just 704 minutes – over 500 fewer than Messi has played (1,243).

Suarez has scored with 28.57% of his shots this campaign (eight of 28). Only five players have scored more goals and recorded a higher shot conversion rate – Tai Baribo (36%), Hugo Cuypers (32.5%), Julian Hall (32.14%), Marcus Ingvartsen (29.73%) and Owusu (29.03%).

MATCH PREDICTION – INTER MIAMI WIN

Miami thrashed Montreal 4-1 in this exact fixture last season, with Messi scoring twice. And even without the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, they are favourites for this one.

Miami have won each of their last five league games, taking 34 points from 16 matches so far this term.

Montreal are also winless in their last three home games (D2 L1) dating back to a victory over Orlando City in early May.

The Herons, meanwhile, find themselves on an eight-match unbeaten streak on the road (W6 D2), winning their last five in a row and last losing away from home against Los Angeles FC in their season curtain-raiser in February.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

CF Montreal – 30.2%

Inter Miami – 46.2%

Draw – 23.6%