Nemanja Matic joined Manchester United earlier in the summer from Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

Nemanja Matic insists Manchester United will need to beat teams like Stoke City if they are to win the Premier League this season.

After winning their first three games of the campaign comfortably, Jose Mourinho’s side faced a sterner test at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford cancelled out Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s opener but the Stoke summer signing popped up with another goal after half-time to earn a point.

Speaking to MUTV, former Premier League title winner Matic said: ‘It was a tough game. To be honest, it’s always a tough game when you come to this stadium.

‘Stoke are a good team, so it was difficult, but we managed to get a point.

The defensive midfielder knows what it takes to win the title (Picture: Getty)

‘If we want to be champions, we have to win games like this because in these games, if you win, you are champion.

‘We have to know against teams like this you have to have a little bit more, you have to be concentrated and of course we’re not happy with a point.

‘It’s always important if you can come from behind, and I think we showed spirit. We had the lead in the second half but they scored a goal from the corner kick.’

Matic, who cost the Red Devils £40million earlier in the summer, added: ‘We didn’t take some chances at the other end, so we could have won the game.

Romelu Lukaku fired United ahead but Stoke hit back (Picture: Getty)

‘It’s always important to be at the top of the table if you can. I’m happy that we are still there, and we’ll continue to work hard to stay there until the end of the season.’

Stoke boss Mark Hughes, meanwhile, was delighted by the impact of his summer signing, whose brace ensured the Potters remain unbeaten since the opening day of the season.

‘Maxim has been absolutely fantastic since the moment he arrived here,’ Hughes, who was denied a handshake after the game by Mourinho, told Stoke City+.

‘You always hope that when you bring new players in that they will hit the ground running, and I have to say that since he has walked through the door he has impacted the games he has been involved in.

The Stoke summer signing impressed against Mourinho’s side (Picture: Getty)

‘He is a great guy as well, he has fitted in really well and has integrated with the rest of the group almost immediately.

‘Scoring two goals against Manchester United will undoubtedly help him – he is in a great place at the moment, and rightly so, he is making a real contribution.’

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