Skipper Hugo Ekitike along with a Triple Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week
What number of The Reds selections are you able to fit into your squad for this round?
The Merseyside club have notched back-to-back wins , with a in-form forward in their French frontman preparing for a fixture with a struggling Wolves side who are heading towards one of the worst top-flight seasons ever.
If you've retained a portion of your AFCON wildcards and have the budget to spend following the injury to the sidelined Bruno Fernandes, consequently Liverpool options must be the main consideration.
The ideal squad is constructed based on latest FPL prices to comply with a £100m cap, simulating activating a Free Hit.
How Did Last Week's Team?
Skipper Manchester City's striker (a huge score) , combined with the productive pair of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) and Liverpool's frontman guided the squad to a solid 82 points – enhanced by a double-digit contribution from Antonee Robinson from the replacements.
Our FPL Ideal Squad for Matchday 18
Keeper & Defence
David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).
Arsenal's defence experienced a slight stumble in the wake of an injury to Gabriel, but they have kept two clean sheets recently , with 9 so far before the campaign's midpoint completed.
The Emirates Stadium outfit have conceded in all but three fixtures at the Emirates campaign. The strikes they conceded came from Erling Haaland, a wondrous effort from Richarlison and a surprise goal from Wolves' attacker.
Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) & Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), Arsenal – vs Brighton (H).
This week features a triple selection from the Gunners' backline.
Not only are they the strongest defence statistically, recording shutouts in over 50% of their matches, they host a Roberto De Zerbi's side that has failed to score in their past two matches.
Brighton have a mere nine strikes across eight away games.
Timber remains a reliable option every week , possessing more attacking upside operating as right-back.
Hincapie has registered defensive contribution points over his last four appearances, which included two clean sheets.
Virgil van Dijk, the Reds, £5.9m – vs Wolves (H).
Managers would love half a dozen Liverpool assets for this fixture if possible.
Gary O'Neil's team failed to score for the tenth occasion so far in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Molineux to the Bees.
The Midlands side have a paltry nine goals all season, including a couple on the road. That makes this as safe a shutout prospect imaginable.
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds United (H).
Despite Leeds United's recent goalscoring upturn – including the performances of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – we're selecting a Sunderland clean sheet at home.
It would be a third consecutive and Alderete establishing himself as an outstanding budget defender option. Managers can select him with assurance across many fixtures, thanks to his consistent defensive contribution returns.
Midfield
Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle (H).
Mount is expected to take on a bigger responsibility at Old Trafford over the coming fixtures, following Bruno Fernandes being sidelined.
Over the past three games, Erik ten Hag's team registered the greatest expected goals (xG) across the Premier League by a comfortable distance – 8.78 against the next best Leeds United's 5.68.
Their opponents are a Newcastle team who have struggled away from home – with just one win from seven attempts.
The former Chelsea man is likely to assume many of Fernandes' creative responsibilities, notably from dead-ball situations, and might play behind the striker.
Florian Wirtz, the Reds, £8.1m – vs Wolves (H).
The German playmaker is on the verge of a major point return and a home match against the struggling Wolves presenting an ideal time for it.
He has delivered returns in three of his last four fixtures – two assists and one defensive contribution performance.
Over that time he has created 10 chances, the most among all his teammates, while his expected goals stands at 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).
Boasting 30 points across two gameweeks, Rogers' current form cannot be overlooked.
He's Aston Villa's talisman, who can scoring a strike with the smallest space in the box.
An away trip at Stamford Bridge might seem a challenging proposition, the Birmingham club have emerged victorious there on two occasions in the past three seasons.
Strikers
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – vs Wolves (H).
Given facing an abysmal Wolves side, a lack of competition for a starting spot, coupled with scored five goals in three games, Ekitike earns the captaincy this week.
Erling Haaland, City, £15.1m – vs Forest (A).
It is unthinkable to benching the Norwegian goal machine, although because he has a more difficult fixture on the road in this round, the choice is to look elsewhere with the captain's role.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m