Chengshu Wu to make Canberra United A-League Women's comeback after horrific face injury stranded her in Brisbane

Chengshu was fitted for a specially designed face mask for what looms as her first game since round two, when she fractured bones in her face and had to wait for medical clearance before returning to Canberra.

Coach Njegosh Popovich said Chengshu was in selection contention for the clash against the Newcastle Jets at McKellar on Saturday after missing the past six weeks.

It will bolster Canberra's hopes of launching a push to make the top four after snapping a three-game drought last weekend.

But Maher, who scored a stunning goal last weekend, is in danger of trading places with Chengshu after aggravating an ankle problem.

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The injuries and forced changes have kept Popovich on his toes in his debut coaching season, but his team is just two wins outside the top four despite struggling to string performances together.

"It's looking more than likely that there will be some changes [this week]," Popovich said.

"We're waiting on some results for Grace Maher [and] Vesna Milivojevic ... Sasha Grove could come good. We've got a few concerns coming into this game, but everyone's the same.

"Grace may be [out] for one or two weeks, it's a recurring injury that she's got around her ankle and ... Chengshu is getting her masked fitted and she's been cleared to play.

"Technically she's unbelievable. The biggest challenge for her will be that she's been out [since the start of December], but I definitely expect her to be taking part in the match on the weekend."

Chengshu was recruited to beef up United's midfield stocks and she starred in her first couple of games for United before a seemingly innocuous head knock put her in danger of missing the rest of the season.

But she avoided long-term damage and is back, which will be a welcome boost for strikers Michelle Heyman and Grace Jale.

New Zealand international Jale is using her move to Canberra as a launching pad for her individual World Cup dreams and she will return home next week for friendlies against the United States.

She will play two midweek games for New Zealand before linking with her United teammates in Wellington next weekend for a clash against her former teammates at the Phoenix.

Jale has scored twice so far this season and her 11 kilometres per game is the highest of all Canberra players.

She's keen to transfer hard work into more goals as she braces for the biggest year of her career and a chance to play in a home World Cup.

New Zealand and Australia are the joint hosts of the tournament later this year and Jale is trying to cement her place in the New Zealand side.

"Sometimes you think playing at home is extra pressure, but you have to snap out of it and think about it as the opportunity of a lifetime," Jale said.

"I think I'm in good shape for it, but I need a bit more impact this season. I've had some quiet games, but I'm definitely motivated and it would be a dream of mine to play. Nothing's going to stop me.

"Having speed and fitness is a huge, huge weapon with technically ability. If you can't score goals, the least I can do is work hard.

"I've loved working with [Heyman] and I've learnt confidence from her. She's never scared of taking a shot, you can't be scared to miss."

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