Norwich City midfielder Jonny Howson will relish the intense battle for a place in the Canaries' Premier League line-up.

Howson finished last season with a double salvo in the vital wins over West Brom and Manchester City that secured the club's top flight survival. The 25-year-old continued in the same goalscoring vein with a sharp near post strike in the midweek 1-1 friendly draw at Brighton, but Howson knows he needs to keep producing following some high class arrivals.

'I suppose you can look at it two ways. You can either think this player is coming in here to take my place or you can see it as competition and you have to be hungry for your place and that brings the best out of players,' he said.

'I think if you have got someone who is kept on their toes, not just myself, but throughout the team you can see there are lads fighting for places. You know if you are in the side you have someone on your shoulder ready to step in and if you are out of the side you need to push hard to get back in. I suppose when I got a run of games last season it just adds to your confidence. Before that regular run I was a bit in and out and the main thing you feel is that you can get into the swing of things. It's exciting times for Norwich.'

Howson views his productive spell in front of goal either side of the summer as fresh evidence his game is maturing under Hughton's guidance. He ranks his mazy dribble that lit up City's final day win at Manchester City as the best of his career.

'It was something that I will arguably never do again,' he said.

'It was nice to watch it back going into the summer and a nice way to end the season. I just picked the ball up and it seemed to open up. The next thing you know you are in on the goalkeeper and then you have to finish it. These things happen sometimes. I'm sure if I had been tackled and that led to a counter I would have been told about it. It's always nice to get on the scoresheet and its something I enjoy doing. Each manager sets up his team in different ways and you have to adapt to that. I strongly believe the higher up you go when you come up against top teams you have to show that willingness to curb your game and adapt to the challenge. Maybe that process took a little bit of time but I believe I am getting there now.'