Captain Hugo Ekitike along with a Three-Pronged Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round
The quantity of Liverpool assets might you fit in your team for this round?
The Merseyside club are coming off a pair of triumphs , with a in-form attacker in their French frontman preparing for a clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers who are tracking for one of the worst Premier League seasons in history.
Should you have held onto a few of your AFCON wildcards , with the budget to reinvest after losing the sidelined Bruno Fernandes, in that case assets from Anfield picks ought to be the main consideration.
The weekly selection is constructed based on current FPL valuations to stay under a £100m spending limit, simulating using a Free Hit chip.
How Did The Previous Team?
Skipper Manchester City's striker (32 points) , alongside the productive pair of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) as well as Hugo Ekitike guided the team to a handsome 82 points – supplemented by a 10-point contribution from Antonee Robinson from the replacements.
This Week's FPL Team of the Week for Matchday 18
Goalkeeper & Defence
David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).
Arsenal's defence suffered a minor wobble after an injury to Gabriel, yet they've recorded two shutouts in their past four , boasting nine so far before half the season gone.
Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in just a handful of fixtures at the Emirates this season. The strikes they conceded were scored by Erling Haaland, a spectacular effort from Richarlison and a surprise header from Tolu Arokodare.
Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) and Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), Arsenal – vs Brighton (H).
We're opting for a triple-up from the Gunners' defence.
Not only are they the top defence in the game, recording shutouts in more than half of their matches, they take on a Roberto De Zerbi's team who have not found the net in two consecutive games.
Brighton have a mere nine goals in eight away games.
The Dutch defender is a reliable choice each gameweek and has greater offensive potential operating as the full-back role.
The Ecuadorian has collected defensive contribution points in his past four appearances, featuring two clean sheets.
Virgil van Dijk, the Reds, £5.9m – vs Wolves (H).
One could select six Liverpool assets for this fixture if allowed.
Wolves were shut out once again this season in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Molineux to Brentford.
They have scored just 9 goals this campaign, including two away from home. It represents a very secure clean sheet opportunity possible.
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds (H).
Regardless of the Yorkshire club's recent goalscoring upturn – including the performances of their striker – the pick is a Stadium of Light clean sheet on home soil.
This would secure their third consecutive and the Paraguayan defender establishing himself as a prime value defender option. You can start him confidently in most games, due to his regular 'defcon' returns.
Midfielders
Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle (H).
The English midfielder should play a significant responsibility at Old Trafford over the coming fixtures, with Bruno Fernandes out injured.
In their last three matches, Erik ten Hag's team boast the highest expected goals (xG) statistically by a comfortable distance – 8.78 against the next best Leeds' 5.68.
Their opponents are a Newcastle side who have been poor away from home – with just a single victory in their last seven.
The former Chelsea man is likely to assume many of Fernandes' playmaking duties, particularly from dead-ball situations, and might operate in the number 10 role.
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.1m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
The German playmaker is due a major point return , with a home match versus the struggling Wolves representing a perfect scenario for that to happen.
He has registered attacking returns across his past four games – two assists and one 'defcon' performance.
In that period his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the most of any his teammates, and his expected goals is 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).
With 30 points across two gameweeks, the midfielder's hot streak is impossible to ignore.
He is Aston Villa's key attacker, who can producing a strike with half a yard of room inside the area.
A fixture to Stamford Bridge may appear a challenging proposition, but Villa have won at that ground twice during recent years.
Forwards
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), the Reds, £8.9m – vs Wolves (H).
Given facing an abysmal Wolves side, a lack of rivalry for his place, coupled with scored five goals in three games, Ekitike gets the captain's armband for this round.
Erling Haaland, City, £15.1m – vs Forest (A).
There's no omitting the Norwegian goal machine, however with him having a tougher fixture on the road this week, we are opting to pass over him for captaincy.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m