Captain Ekitike and a Three-Pronged Arsenal Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week
What number of Liverpool selections might you accommodate into your team for this round?
The Merseyside club have notched a pair of triumphs , featuring a red-hot attacker in Hugo Ekitike going into a encounter with Wolves currently heading towards a historically poor Premier League campaigns ever.
If you've retained some of your Africa Cup of Nations free transfers , with the budget to spend after losing the sidelined Bruno Fernandes, consequently Liverpool options must be the primary focus.
The ideal squad is constructed using latest FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if using a one-week wildcard.
A Look Back at Last Week's Squad?
Captain Erling Haaland (a huge score) , alongside the hot duo of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) as well as Hugo Ekitike propelled the team to a handsome total – with a bonus a double-digit cameo from Antonee Robinson off the bench.
Our Fantasy Premier League Ideal Squad for Matchday 18
Goalkeeper and Defenders
David Raya, the Gunners, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).
The North London side's defence experienced a slight stumble in the wake of an injury to their Brazilian defender, but they have recorded two shutouts over their last four matches , boasting nine to their name with less than the campaign's midpoint gone.
The Emirates Stadium outfit have conceded in only three home games campaign. The strikes they conceded came from a Manchester City superstar, a spectacular strike from Richarlison and a surprise goal from Wolves' attacker.
Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) and Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), the Gunners – vs the Seagulls (H).
We're opting for a triple selection on the Arsenal defence.
Not only are they the best defensive unit statistically, with a clean sheet in more than half of their fixtures, they host a Roberto De Zerbi's side who have failed to score in two consecutive games.
Brighton have a mere nine goals from eight matches on the road.
Timber is a solid choice every week , possessing increased goal threat since returning to the full-back role.
The Ecuadorian has collected 'defcon' points in four consecutive starts, which included two clean sheets.
Virgil van Dijk, the Reds, £5.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
Managers would love half a dozen Anfield assets for this fixture if possible.
Gary O'Neil's team were shut out for the 10th time this season in Saturday's 2-0 home loss to the Bees.
They have scored just nine strikes this campaign, with only two away from home. That makes this a very secure shutout prospect imaginable.
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds (H).
Despite Leeds United's better goalscoring upturn – and the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – the pick is a Stadium of Light clean sheet at home.
It would be their third in a row , with the Paraguayan defender is cementing himself as the best low-cost defender option. Managers can field him with assurance across many fixtures, given his regular defensive contribution points.
Midfielders
Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle United (H).
Mount will likely assume a bigger role at Old Trafford over the coming fixtures, due to their Portuguese maestro out injured.
Over the past three games, Erik ten Hag's team boast the best expected goals (xG) statistically by a significant margin – 8.78 against second-best Leeds United's 5.68.
They welcome a Newcastle team that has been poor in away matches – with just one win in seven.
Mount is likely to assume a large share of Fernandes' playmaking duties, notably on set-pieces, potentially operate as an attacking midfielder.
Florian Wirtz, the Reds, £8.1m – vs Wolves (H).
Wirtz is on the verge of a major point return and a home match against Wolves representing the prime scenario for that to happen.
Wirtz has posted points in three out of his last four fixtures – two assists plus a 'defcon' display.
Over that time his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the highest among all his teammates, and his xG stands at 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).
Boasting 30 points in two games, Rogers' current form demands attention.
He's Villa's talisman, capable of creating a goal from minimal space in the box.
An away trip at Stamford Bridge could be viewed as a tough assignment, but Villa have emerged victorious at that ground twice during the last three campaigns.
Strikers
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – vs Wolves (H).
Due to his fixture, having no rivalry for a starting spot, and having scored a five-goal haul over three matches, Ekitike receives the captain's armband this week.
Erling Haaland, City, £15.1m – vs Nottingham Forest (A).
It is unthinkable to benching the Norwegian goal machine, but because he has a tougher away game in this round, I'm willing to look elsewhere for the armband.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m