Captain Ekitike and a Three-Pronged Gunners Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week

The quantity of The Reds selections can you accommodate in your squad for this round?

The Merseyside club have notched two consecutive victories , with a in-form striker in Hugo Ekitike ahead of a clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers that are tracking for a historically poor top-flight campaigns in history.

For managers who kept a few of your AFCON free transfers and have the funds to reinvest by replacing the unavailable Bruno Fernandes, consequently Liverpool options ought to be the main consideration.

The weekly selection is constructed according to present Fantasy Premier League prices to fit within a £100m cap, mirroring using a Free Hit chip.

How Did Our Recent Selection?

Skipper Erling Haaland (a huge score) , alongside the in-form pair of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) as well as Hugo Ekitike guided the selection to a handsome score – supplemented by a double-digit cameo from Antonee Robinson from the replacements.

The FPL Ideal Squad for Matchday 18

Keeper and Defence

David Raya, Arsenal, goalkeeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).

Arsenal's defence had a slight stumble after an injury to Gabriel, however, they've recorded two shutouts recently and have nine so far with less than half the season completed.

The Emirates Stadium outfit have let in goals in just a handful of home games campaign. Those goals were scored by Erling Haaland, a wondrous strike from Tottenham's forward , plus a late goal from Tolu Arokodare.

Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) and Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), Arsenal – vs the Seagulls (H).

It's a triple-up on the Arsenal backline.

As well as being the strongest defensive unit in the game, recording shutouts in the majority of their fixtures, they face a Brighton side who have failed to score in two consecutive outings.

The South Coast club have scored just nine goals from eight away games.

Timber is a reliable option each gameweek and has more attacking upside since returning to the full-back role.

Hincapie has earned defensive contribution points over his last four appearances, which included two clean sheets.

Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £5.9m – vs Wolves (H).

I'd pick half a dozen Liverpool players for this fixture if possible.

Gary O'Neil's team drew another blank for the tenth occasion in 17 games during a recent two-nil defeat at Molineux to Brentford.

The Midlands side have a paltry nine goals this campaign, with only two on the road. This is one of the safest clean sheet bet imaginable.

Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds (H).

Regardless of the Yorkshire club's better goalscoring upturn – and the form of their striker – we're selecting a Sunderland shutout on home soil.

That would mark their third in a row and Alderete is cementing himself as a prime budget defensive pick. Managers can field him confidently across many fixtures, thanks to his potential for defensive contribution points.

Midfield

Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle (H).

The English midfielder is expected to take on a bigger part for Old Trafford over the coming fixtures, due to their Portuguese maestro suffering an injury.

Over the past three games, Erik ten Hag's team have generated the highest expected goals (xG) statistically by a significant margin – 8.78 against the next best Leeds' 5.68.

They face a Newcastle United side who have not excelled on the road – with just a single victory in seven.

The former Chelsea man may assume many of Fernandes' playmaking duties, especially from dead-ball situations, and might operate behind the striker.

Florian Wirtz, the Reds, £8.1m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).

Wirtz is on the verge of a major point return , with a fixture at Anfield against the struggling Wolves being the prime scenario for that to happen.

He has delivered returns in three out of four recent games – a pair of assists and one defensive contribution performance.

Over that time his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the most of any his teammates, while his xG is 0.88.

Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – vs the Blues (A).

With 30 points over two matches, Rogers' hot streak cannot be overlooked.

He's Aston Villa's main goal threat, with an ability to scoring a strike from minimal room inside the area.

A fixture at Chelsea may appear a challenging proposition, the Birmingham club have won there twice during recent years.

Strikers

Hugo Ekitike (Captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).

Given his fixture, a lack of competition for his place, and having scored a five-goal haul over three matches, the French striker gets the captaincy for this round.

Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £15.1m – vs Forest (A).

One cannot consider omitting the Norwegian goal machine, although because he has a tougher away game this week, we are opting to pass over him with the captain's role.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m

Sandra Lowe
Sandra Lowe

An environmental scientist and avid hiker who shares practical guides on eco-friendly living and wilderness exploration.