Michael Ballack has admitted Chelsea are already feeling the pressure of Manchester United's winning start to the Premiership season.

The Germany captain, a summer signing from Bayern Munich, confessed last week's defeat at Middlesbrough and United's maximum haul of nine points from nine affected the champions' first-half performance during Sunday's trip to Blackburn.

Ballack made his Premiership debut in the game, which Chelsea went on to win 2-0.

"It was a very important win for us because before the game we had only three points and United had nine," Ballack said in the Daily Express.

"Maybe we were a little nervous because we had lost the previous game and United won on Saturday. As a result, we made too many mistakes in the first half. But then we improved and we made enough chances to win."