Joel Ward makes Chelsea FA Cup point after 300th Crystal Palace appearance in Leicester defeat

Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward says he and his teammates want to put Sunday’s Premier League defeat to Leicester firmly behind them so they can put all their focus into Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

First-half goals from Ademola Lookman and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall handed Brendan Rodgers’ side a 2-1 win over the Eagles at the King Power Stadium, with Palace looking underwhelming despite coming into the game off the back of a seven-game unbeaten run. Wilfried Zaha managed to claw a goal back in the second half but the visitors never truly looked like they would threaten the scoreline after that as the Foxes held on for all three points in the Midlands.

Ward, who came on to replace the injured Tyrick Mitchell after half an hour, said he was disappointed to see the team’s unbeaten run come to an abrupt end against a strong Leicester side, with attention now turning to the trip to Wembley on the weekend.

“Coming off the back of such a good and solid run it’s always disappointing not to perform the way we have been,” the full-back told PalaceTV. “We dust ourselves down, we’ve been there before and we kick on for the weekend. We have to respect them, they’re a solid side, they’re a good side. But I think we have to as well look at ourselves and what we could have done better and there are certain things we need to be working and making sure we put right come the weekend.

“I think you can see this as a bit of a wake-up call, to make sure we remain focused, that we remain determined. And that we prepare correctly for the week ahead and the rest of the games this season.”

In coming off the bench for Mitchell on Sunday, Ward made his 300th appearance for Crystal Palace. The full-back, who joined the club in