Skipper Ekitike and a Triple Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round

How many Liverpool assets are you able to squeeze into your lineup in the upcoming gameweek?

The Merseyside club have secured a pair of triumphs , with a in-form attacker in Hugo Ekitike preparing for a fixture with Wolverhampton Wanderers currently heading towards an abysmal Premier League seasons on record.

If you've kept some of your AFCON free transfers , and possess the funds to upgrade after losing the unavailable Manchester United's playmaker, consequently Liverpool picks must be the main consideration.

The team of the week is constructed based on present FPL prices to comply with a £100m spending limit, as if using a Free Hit.

What Was the Performance of Last Week's Team?

Skipper Manchester City's striker (32 points) , combined with the in-form pair of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) plus Hugo Ekitike guided the team to a solid score – with a bonus a 10-point cameo from Antonee Robinson from the replacements.

Our Fantasy Premier League Selection for Matchday 18

Keeper and Defence

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

Arsenal's defence suffered a minor wobble after the absence of their Brazilian defender, however, they've secured two clean sheets recently , boasting nine so far with not even the campaign's midpoint played.

Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in all but three fixtures at the Emirates campaign. Those goals were scored by a Manchester City superstar, a long-range effort from Richarlison , plus a unexpected header from Tolu Arokodare.

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

We're opting for a triple-up from the Gunners' defence.

Not only are they the strongest defensive unit in the game, recording shutouts in over 50% of their fixtures, they face a Brighton team that has failed to score in their last two matches.

The South Coast club have scored just nine strikes from eight fixtures away from home.

Timber is a steady pick each gameweek and has greater attacking upside since returning to the full-back role.

Hincapie has registered 'defcon' points over his last four starts, including a pair of shutouts.

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

Managers would love six Liverpool assets this week if possible.

Gary O'Neil's team were shut out for the 10th time in 17 games during a recent two-nil defeat at Molineux to Brentford.

The Midlands side have only managed 9 strikes all season, including a couple away from home. This is a very secure shutout opportunity available.

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

Despite Leeds United's better goalscoring upturn – and the form of their striker – the pick is a Sunderland clean sheet on home soil.

It would be a third consecutive and the Paraguayan defender is cementing himself as a prime budget defender option. You can select him confidently in most games, due to his consistent 'defcon' points.

Midfielders

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

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

Over the past three games, United boast the highest expected goals (xG) in the league by over three goals – 8.78 against second-best Leeds United's 5.68.

They welcome a Newcastle team that has not excelled in away matches – managing one win in their last seven.

Mount is likely to inherit many of the injured star's creative responsibilities, notably from dead-ball situations, potentially feature as an attacking midfielder.

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

Wirtz is due a big haul and a fixture at Anfield against the struggling Wolves presenting a perfect scenario for it.

Wirtz has delivered returns in three out of his last four fixtures – two assists and one defensive contribution performance.

In that period he's made 10 chances, the highest of any Liverpool, and his xG totals 0.88.

Morgan Rogers, Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).

After recording 30 points over two matches, the midfielder's form is impossible to ignore.

He is Aston Villa's talisman, with an ability to creating a strike with the smallest space inside the area.

A fixture at Chelsea may appear a challenging proposition, but Villa have emerged victorious there on two occasions in the past three seasons.

Forwards

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

Due to his fixture, a lack of rivalry for a starting spot, coupled with notched a five-goal haul over three matches, the French striker earns the captaincy this week.

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

One cannot consider dropping Haaland, however because he has a more difficult away game in this round, we are opting to pass over him for the armband.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m