With Williams unavailable, Burke has been called on to make her first start of the season.

Williams is the first-choice goalkeeper for the Matildas, and has five clean sheets from her eight games this season.

Burke, 22, is still chasing her maiden win after a loss and a draw in the two W-League games she played last season.

''It's been fantastic training with her [Williams], seeing how she approaches the games and the training sessions and her motivation to keep improving,'' Burke said.

''It really pushes you along to stay with her.

''I've got to be confident in myself and the team, and basically own that 18-yard box - demand that area and be a presence on the field.

''Last year was pretty nerve-racking and a bit of a step-up in my first full year of W-League, but this year I feel good to go.''

Burke is a latecomer to soccer, taking up the game at competitive level only four years ago.

Before that, she was a promising cricketer, playing in the women's first-grade competition in Sydney and making the NSW under-19 team as a bowler.

However, a call-up to the Sydney FC squad as the reserve goalkeeper for its semi-final with Brisbane Roar in the 2011-12 season convinced her to focus all her energies on football.

''I started up soccer, loved it and thought I'd have a run at that,'' Burke said.

''I had a bit of an injury, which hampered me a little bit, but I thought I had to choose between soccer and cricket because I was training with Sydney FC. I loved the whole environment of it, and I put everything into soccer.''

United beat the Glory 2-0 in their last encounter, at Perth last month.

This is the first of three games United will play in the space of six days. They face ladder-leaders Sydney FC on Wednesday before backing up against the Newcastle Jets on Saturday.

Star midfielder Sally Shipard is targeting the match with the Jets as her first game this season back from knee problems.

■ W-League round 10: Canberra United v Perth Glory at McKellar Park on Sunday, 3pm.