Harry Kane says Tottenham must end their frustrating run at Manchester United if they want to win the Premier League title for the first time.

After waiting 23 years for a victory at Old Trafford, Spurs won back-to-back games there under Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood but Mauricio Pochettino's side have lost all three visits 1-0 in uncharacteristically meek performances.

United go into Monday night's match in disarray after last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Brighton worsened tensions between manager Jose Mourinho and both his chief executive Ed Woodward and stand-in captain Paul Pogba.

Spurs, though, have started impressively but, after making no summer signings, they have barely been mentioned as possible title contenders – with Liverpool widely regarded as the likeliest challengers to champions Manchester City.

But asked if a result at United would show Spurs are better than last season, Kane said: "Yes, I think so. We've got to beat these teams if we want to win the league.

"Whether it's early in the season or late in the season, these are the big games that you have to make a difference in. We've got to be up for it because I'm sure United will be up for it as well. We'll have to wait and see who comes out on top."

Both clubs were frustrated in the summer transfer market but Spurs have been unusually quick out of the blocks, starting a season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2014-15.

Both Pochettino and Hugo Lloris, the club captain, have emphasised the importance of making a fast start this year, with Spurs traditionally not at their best until mid-winter when they are already well adrift of the early frontrunners.

Kane, who scored his first-ever Premier League goal in August at the 15th attempt in last weekend's 3-1 win over Fulham, reiterated the need to be among the early pace-setters this season.

"It's important – the top six are so strong now that you have to get off to a good start," the England captain said. "In recent years, we've picked up around Christmas, carried it on for the rest of the season but we've ended up finishing second and third.

"So it's important we don't get too far behind. We want to get ahead early on. Obviously we've had a lot of players come back [for pre-season] later than others, which is a good thing because we all did well at the World Cup, but it was important that we started well and gained confidence."