Manchester United Women Prepare for League Cup Clash Against Sheffield United

Manchester United Women will walk into their League Cup tie against Sheffield United on Tuesday night with bruises, but also with a bit of belief back in the tank.

The start to the season has been rough. A shock defeat to London City, followed by a 0-5 hammering at the hands of Chelsea, left United reeling. Confidence took a hit, questions surfaced, and the mood around the side darkened quickly.

Then came Arsenal.

A far sharper, more disciplined United performance earned them a point on Saturday and, more importantly, a foothold. It wasn’t a complete reset, but it was a response. They now head into the cup with a reminder that they can still go toe-to-toe with the league’s heavyweights.

Awujo’s rise and a different kind of advantage

One of the bright sparks in the early turbulence has been Simi Awujo. The Canadian midfielder scored her first league goal for the club in that London City defeat, a personal milestone overshadowed by the result but not forgotten inside the dressing room.

She is pushing for more minutes against Sheffield United, and she brings more than just energy in midfield.

Awujo grew up in Georgia learning Spanish as a child, and that skill has quietly become a useful tool in a multilingual squad. Speaking to the club’s website, she lifted the lid on how that’s helped her connect with new teammates.

“Yeah, Medi’s (Andrea Medina) quite out there,” she said. “I think it seemed quite easy for her to just mesh with everyone because she's just a good personality – lots of fun! But yeah, I do speak Spanish. I would say I'm proficient, I wouldn't say fully fluent just because I've never lived there or anything.”

The language link doesn’t stop there.

“But I can have conversations with Medi and Rebe (Rebeca Bernal) as well now, in Spanish,” she added.

What started as an interest at school has grown into a genuine asset. Awujo explained that her Spanish developed not only in the classroom but through watching TV and absorbing the language that way. It’s the kind of detail that sounds small from the outside, yet it can smooth communication lines on and off the pitch, especially for new arrivals settling into a new league and culture.

Unfinished business in the League Cup

United know this competition well. They went all the way to the final of the League Cup last season, only to be beaten by Chelsea at the last hurdle. That defeat still lingers.

Awujo made it clear that the squad’s ambition has not shifted, even if the landscape of their season has.

“As professionals that's always the goal, to win as much as you can – I don't think any of that has changed,” she said. “Obviously, we're not in Champions League this year, the FA Cup hasn't started so I guess in terms of winning silverware the Players Cup is our focus as well as the league right now. Then obviously when the FA Cup comes around the same will apply for that, we're always striving to win the most games and win as much silverware as possible.”

No European football, a delayed start to the FA Cup, and a stuttering league campaign place extra weight on this competition. The margin for error shrinks. The urgency grows.

And there’s one more twist for Awujo.

The tie against Sheffield United falls on her birthday. A cup game, a chance for more minutes, a push to start another run to a final – and a personal landmark all rolled into one.

For United, it’s an opportunity to turn a shaky opening into a launchpad. For Awujo, it could be the night her season truly takes off.