Chelsea may be in the thick of their worst start to a Premier League season but Jonny Howson is still wary of the 'world class' threat posed by the reigning champions.

The Blues have taken 12 points from 12 top-flight matches, a full 20 points less than they had accumulated at the same stage last season.

It leaves Jose Mourinho's under-fire team a point and a place below the Canaries, in 16th place, just three points clear of the relegation zone.

'I don't think there's any easy games in this league,' Howson said.

'They've still got world class players so it's going to be a difficult game.'

While the Londoners go into Saturday's clash at Stamford Bridge off the back of three defeats on the trot, City are in better spirits after ending a four-match losing streak – thanks to Howson's header against Swansea.

The Yorkshireman does not believe beating the Swans takes the pressure off the trip to Chelsea though, or next weekend's visit of Arsenal – games in which Alex Neil's side would usually be treated as underdogs.

'I think the pressure comes from within yourself of wanting to do well,' the 27-year-old midfielder continued. 'You go into every game wanting to put in a certain performance, work hard and do the best of your ability.

'With regards to the pressure and easing it I don't think that changes too much.

'Sometimes when you come up against the big teams it is difficult but we're still wanting to go up against those teams and put in a good performance and hopefully come away with something.'

The preparations for trying to make Chelsea's season even more sensible were made more comfortable by going into the international break on the back of a victory.

The two previous breaks this season were preceded by the Canaries losing 3-0 at Southampton in August and 2-1 at home to Leicester in October – making the Swansea success especially timely.

Howson added: 'Whenever you win it's obviously a nice feeling and getting a win going into the international break, I think the last two times going into that we've suffered defeat, but with regards to what we do (in training), that won't change.

'As we've said after defeats, we can't change results now, we focus on our next game and that will be no different.'