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Leicester goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes the club face some tough challenges ahead if they are to keep hold of manager Claudio Ranieri and their top players. The Foxes 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday keeps them five points clear of title rivals Tottenham at the top of the table with seven matches of their season to go.But Schwarzer, who was on the bench at Selhurst Park, feels they may face an even more difficult test in keeping hold of the popular Ranieri and the leading lights at the club next season. Players really like him and really admire him for his passion, dedication and wisdom, Schwarzer said of the Italian on Sky Sports Now. Leicester keeper Mark Schwarzer highlights their defence as the key to their form It is vitally important [for Leicester to keep Ranieri]. He has taken them to a completely different level.There are certain factors Leicester are going to have to deal with at the end of the season.Firstly, the manager, whether he stays or goes. He is at the stage of his career where he may never move on to bigger or better things.He has been mentioned for the Italian job and if that were offered to him, that would be a difficult one to turn down because it is such a prestigious job.He will be key to keeping hold of players such as Jamie Vardy, who has recently signed a new contract, Riyad Mahrez, NGolo Kante, Danny Drinkwater. Phil Thompson on Leicesters win at Palace There will be clubs really starting to take notice of these players and putting them on a list of players they might want to try and sign this summer.Leicester will have to do all they can to hold onto these players and try to build further.Schwarzer feels Ranieri has given fresh hope to players who may not have been given the opportunity to shine in the past.In particular he cited the example of Drinkwater, who was not a regular in the side last season, but who has featured regularly this campaign, earning a call-up to the England squad for the upcoming friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands.He has given certain key players confidence and self-belief, added Schwarzer.At the end of last season, Danny hardly played a game, he was on the sidelines, but he has rightly been called up to England because he has been such a key player. He has been mentioned for the Italian job and if that were offered to him, that would be a difficult one to turn down. Schwarzer on Claudio Ranieri Danny is a calming influence on the pitch and has great vision and awareness. Technically he is very good and his array of passing is exceptional but he can mix it with his challenges.Schwarzer also commented on the change of emphasis in recent weeks, that has seen a free-scoring Leicester side win four of their last five matches 1-0.Initially we were playing a lot more open football, we attacked whenever we had the opportunity, said the Australian.That was one of our strengths, the ability to counter-attack very quickly, and that is still one of our weapons.But once we hit that first clean sheet of the season, it cemented the idea that keeping clean sheets is important and is a good foundation to build upon. Also See: Quinn fears Leicester slip-up Mahrez keeps Foxes in control Ranieri to return to Italy Leicester video Christian Wilkins Youth Jersey . Before that, Rousey needed a total 23 minutes and 26 seconds to take care of her last eight opponents - and one of those fights lasted 10 minutes and 58 seconds. Dan Marino Jersey . Louis Blues are reportedly taking restricted free agent forward Vladimir Sobotka to arbitration. http://www.dolphinsrookiestore.com/Dolph...on-Wake-Jersey/. -- Sonny Grays fastball wasnt as sharp as it usually is, and the Oakland Athletics young pitcher even had a quirky replay go against him. Dan Marino Youth Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Minkah Fitzpatrick Womens Jersey . Ronaldo failed to connect on an ample number of opportunities at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. But Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez scored in each half for Madrid to come out of the first leg with the firm advantage.HOUSTON -- Houston is starting to make a habit of 40-point first quarters. After not scoring 40 points in the opening quarter in the last five seasons, the Rockets have done it five times this season and twice in the last three games. Terrence Jones had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the Rockets opened a big early lead and beat the Detroit Pistons 118-110 on Saturday night for their third win in four games. Jones finished 10 of 15 from the floor as Houston shot 50 per cent for the game, including 61 per cent in the first half. Houston scored 41 points in the first quarter and finished 11 of 33 from behind the arc. "We got a big halftime lead and didnt play well in the second half," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "We came out and really moved the ball. We had it going up and down and just did a nice job of doing what weve been talking about doing, which is attacking early, getting inside to Dwight (Howard) and making some nice passes." James Harden added 20 points and 12 assists, Patrick Beverley had 19 points and Howard chipped in 17 points and eight rebounds. Reserve Omri Casspi scored 16 points and Jordan Hamilton had 13. While saying it was an important win before the Rockets begin a stretch against some of the top teams in the NBA on Tuesday against Miami, Howard did not like the way Houston came out in the second half. "I thought we should have really put the foot on the gas," Howard said. "We didnt. We allowed them to get back into the game, and that is not what we need to do if we want to be a championship team." Rodney Stuckey had 23 points on 10 of 17 shooting off the bench, and Josh Smith added 21 points for the Pistons, who dropped their fourth straight and seventh in eight games. Andre Drummond had 16 points and 17 rebounds, Greg Monroe had 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Brandon Jennings chipped in 11 points and eight assists for Detroit, which shot 45 per cent from the field. "In the first half, we didnt play with the energy, enthusiasm or desire you have to play at to play against any NBA team, let alone a high-level team like Houston," Detroit interim coach John Loyer said. "We came in here, and I told our guys we played harder in practice than the first 24 minutes.dddddddddddd We had more juice, energy running a three-man weave than we did in the first half. There are two halves to a game, and fortunately, we played a much better second half." Detroit fell four games out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Drummond said the Pistons have enough time to make the playoffs. "We have enough time to do anything, and were four games out, so it comes to what we do as a team," Drummond said. "It cant be one or two people. We have to be as a collective group to want to buckle down and try to win games." Trailing 102-84 with 10:33 remaining, Detroit outscored the Rockets 13-5 over the next 4:22 to cut the lead to 10 on Smiths free throws, but Beverley nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to push the lead back to 16 with four minutes remaining. The Pistons closed within seven once more with a 10-1 run, capped by consecutive layups by Stuckey, but got no closer. "I think guys stopped playing a little bit because of the lead," Jones said. "We just tried to make sure that we got back to it on the defensive end to make sure we got the win. I think we did that late in the fourth." The Rockets, who never trailed, moved to 40-19. Only the 1993-94 team that started 40-15 got to 40 wins faster. Houston used a 16-2 run over a three-minute stretch of the first quarter to open a 23-6 lead on Howards two free throws 5 minutes into the game. "We did a good job of coming out with some aggression and getting some defensive stops and getting out in transition," Harden said. Houston expanded its lead to 58-33 on Howards free throw with 4:58 remaining in the first half. The Rockets led 69-46 at the break. NOTES: Houston forward Chandler Parsons missed the game with an illness. . Rockets centre Greg Smith underwent an exploratory arthroscopic knee surgery Wednesday to repair a medial meniscus tear and to examine changes to ligament structures in his right knee. Smith, who has missed 36 games this season, is out indefinitely. . Drummond leads the Eastern Conference with 43 double-doubles this season ' ' '