Skipper Hugo Ekitike along with a Triple Arsenal Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round
How many The Reds players might you accommodate in your team for this round?
The Merseyside club have notched a pair of triumphs , featuring a in-form attacker in their French frontman ahead of a clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers that are tracking for an abysmal top-flight campaigns on record.
Should you have retained a few of your AFCON free transfers , and possess the cash to upgrade by replacing the injured Bruno Fernandes, consequently Liverpool picks must be the primary focus.
The ideal squad is chosen based on present FPL costs to fit within a £100m cap, as if using a Free Hit chip.
What Was the Performance of Our Recent Team?
Captain Erling Haaland (32 points) and the hot duo of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) and Hugo Ekitike led the team to a solid score – with a bonus a 10-point performance from Fulham's defender as a substitute.
Our FPL Team of the Week for Matchday 18
Keeper & Defenders
David Raya, Arsenal, goalkeeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).
Arsenal's backline experienced a minor wobble following the absence of their Brazilian defender, but they have kept two shutouts recently , with 9 already before half the season played.
The Emirates Stadium outfit have let in goals in all but three fixtures at the Emirates this season. Those goals came from a Manchester City superstar, a long-range effort from Richarlison and a surprise goal from Wolves' attacker.
Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) & Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), Arsenal – vs Brighton (H).
We're opting for a three-pronged from the Arsenal backline.
They are the top defence in the game, recording shutouts in more than half of their fixtures, they take on a Roberto De Zerbi's team that has drawn a blank in two consecutive matches.
Brighton have scored just nine strikes across eight matches on the road.
The Dutch defender remains a reliable pick every week , with more goal threat now he is right-back.
The Ecuadorian has collected defensive contribution points in his past four appearances, which included two clean sheets.
Virgil van Dijk, the Reds, £5.9m – vs Wolves (H).
I'd pick six Liverpool assets this week if allowed.
Gary O'Neil's team failed to score for the 10th time so far during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Molineux to the Bees.
The Midlands side have scored just nine goals this campaign, with only two on the road. That makes this a very secure shutout bet imaginable.
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds (H).
Even with Leeds United's improved goalscoring upturn – including the performances of their striker – the pick is a Stadium of Light shutout on home soil.
This would secure a third consecutive , with Alderete establishing himself as an outstanding low-cost defender option. Managers can field him regularly across many fixtures, thanks to his potential for 'defcon' points.
Midfielders
Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle United (H).
The English midfielder is expected to take on a significant responsibility for Old Trafford in the next few games, with their Portuguese maestro out injured.
Over the past three games, United boast the best xG in the league by a comfortable distance – 8.78 compared to second-best Leeds' 5.68.
They face a Newcastle United side who have been poor away from home – managing a single victory in seven.
Mount could well inherit many of the injured star's 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 poised for a big haul and a fixture at Anfield versus Wolves being a perfect time for that to happen.
He has delivered returns in three of his past four games – a pair of assists plus a defensive contribution performance.
Over that time his chance creation stands at 10 chances, a team-high of any his teammates, while his xG is 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).
After recording 30 points across two gameweeks, Rogers' hot streak is impossible to ignore.
He's Villa's main goal threat, with an ability to scoring a strike from half a yard of room in the box.
An away trip to Stamford Bridge may appear a tough assignment, the Birmingham club have won there in two of the last three campaigns.
Strikers
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), the Reds, £8.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
Due to his fixture, having no rivalry for a starting spot, coupled with bagged five goals in three games, Ekitike earns the double-points role for this round.
Erling Haaland, City, £15.1m – vs Nottingham Forest (A).
One cannot consider dropping Haaland, however because he has a tricky fixture on the road this week, I'm willing to pass over him for the armband.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m