'We Know They Are Playing Well' – Castagne's Pre-Palace Message

- Timothy Castagne previews Sunday's visit of Crystal Palace in the Premier League (2pm BST kick-off)
- The Foxes drew 0-0 with PSV Eindhoven in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday
- Castagne is expecting a tough test from Patrick Vieira's in-form Eagles at King Power Stadium
- He believes City are returning to their best, especially in defence, after the returns of key players

The Eagles, managed by Arsenal great Patrick Vieira, are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions and defeated the Gunners 3-0 at Selhurst Park last time out. The south London outfit are currently one place above City, level on points, although Leicester have two games in hand.

Castagne, who scored a stunner in the Club's last Premier League outing, a 2-1 win over Brentford before the international break, says the squad are fully aware Palace's threats. Despite leading 2-0 at the break in October's meeting between the sides, Leicester were held to a 2-2 draw in the capital.

"We know they are playing well," Castagne told LCFC TV. "It’s always a difficult game, it was a tough game against them [at Selhurst Park]. If we play our game and if we continue what we have done over the past few weeks, then we can win for sure. We shot ourselves in the foot [in the first game].

"We should have won. When you’re 2-0 up, you can’t draw that, so it’s on us. On Sunday, if we play well, we can win."

Leicester played out a goalless draw with PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Europa Conference League Quarter-Finals first leg on Thursday, ahead of next week's second leg in the Netherlands. Although frustrated not to secure an advantage at the half-way point of the tie, Castagne was content at full-time.

"I think it was a nice game to watch," the Belgian added. "We had some good chances that we couldn’t finish. We didn’t give many big chances away so that was good. We have to be cleaner on the ball, especially in their half, because then they go into counter attack and we have to run back.

"I thought they did that very well, so we have to be careful with that, but otherwise it’s a tough game and it’s going to be a nice one next Thursday. Tonight was nothing great, but nothing bad. We just go there to win and sometimes it’s maybe better than having a two-goal lead and trying to preserve it.

"We’ll just go there with one goal in mind and that’s to win. We knew it would be a tough game because we know the in the Dutch league, they play football very well. They don’t try to kick it long and the tempo was good. We know we can definitely win.

"We saw today that when we played our game, we had some chances. Now we have to be clean in the final third and score some goals."

After the encouraging 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend, plus a shutout against a free-scoring PSV outfit, Castagne believes the Foxes are benefiting from the returns of key players. They include centre-backs Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana.

"It’s always positive [to get a clean sheet]," the former Atalanta full-back continued. "I thought we were solid against United and then today again. We didn’t give too many chances away, but still, they just came back, myself included. It’s good to play."