Captain Hugo Ekitike and a Three-Pronged Gunners Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week
How many Liverpool assets can you accommodate into your squad in the upcoming gameweek?
The Merseyside club are coming off two consecutive victories , with a red-hot forward in their French frontman going into a fixture with Wolverhampton Wanderers who are heading towards an abysmal Premier League seasons ever.
Should you have held onto some of your AFCON wildcards and have the budget to spend following the injury to the sidelined Manchester United's playmaker, then assets from Anfield players must be the primary focus.
The team of the week is chosen using latest Fantasy Premier League prices to fit within a 100 million pound cap, simulating using a Free Hit.
What Was the Performance of The Previous Team?
Skipper Manchester City's striker (a massive haul) and the hot pair of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) and Liverpool's frontman led the team to a handsome total – supplemented by a 10-point cameo from Fulham's defender as a substitute.
Our FPL Ideal Squad for Gameweek 18
Keeper and Defence
David Raya, the Gunners, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).
The North London side's defence suffered a brief dip following an injury to Gabriel, but they have kept two clean sheets in their past four and have 9 already with less than half the season completed.
The Emirates Stadium outfit have let in goals in just a handful of matches at home this season. The strikes they conceded were scored by Erling Haaland, a wondrous effort from Tottenham's forward and a unexpected header from Wolves' attacker.
Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) & Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), Arsenal – vs Brighton (H).
It's a triple selection from the Arsenal defence.
As well as being the best defence in the game, recording shutouts in the majority of their fixtures, they take on a Roberto De Zerbi's team that has failed to score in their past two matches.
Brighton have only managed nine goals from eight fixtures away from home.
Timber continues to be a steady choice each gameweek and has increased goal threat since returning to the full-back role.
The Ecuadorian has collected 'defcon' points over his last four appearances, featuring a pair of shutouts.
Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £5.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
I'd pick half a dozen Liverpool assets for this fixture if the rules permitted.
Gary O'Neil's team drew another blank once again this season during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Molineux to the Bees.
The Midlands side have scored just 9 strikes this campaign, including a couple on the road. This is a very secure shutout bet possible.
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds United (H).
Despite the Yorkshire club's recent offensive form – highlighted by their striker – the pick is a Sunderland shutout at home.
It would be their third in a row and Alderete becoming the best budget defensive pick. Managers can field him confidently in most games, given his consistent 'defcon' points.
Midfield
Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle United (H).
The English midfielder should play a significant responsibility for Manchester United over the coming fixtures, due to Bruno Fernandes suffering an injury.
Over the past three games, Erik ten Hag's team boast the greatest expected goals (xG) in the league by over three goals – 8.78 against the next best Leeds United's 5.68.
Their opponents are a Newcastle United team who have struggled in away matches – with just one win from seven attempts.
Mount could well inherit many of Fernandes' creative responsibilities, notably from dead-ball situations, and might feature as an attacking midfielder.
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.1m – vs Wolves (H).
The German playmaker is on the verge of a significant score and a fixture at Anfield against Wolves presenting an ideal time for that to happen.
Wirtz has registered attacking returns across his past four games – a pair of assists plus a 'defcon' performance.
In that period his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the most among all Liverpool, while his expected goals is 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).
With 30 points in two games, Rogers' form demands attention.
He is Villa's talisman, with an ability to scoring a strike from minimal space in the box.
An away trip at Chelsea may appear a challenging assignment, the Birmingham club have emerged victorious there in two of the past three seasons.
Forwards
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – vs Wolves (H).
Given his fixture, a lack of competition for a starting spot, coupled with scored five goals in three games, the French striker earns the captain's armband this week.
Erling Haaland, City, £15.1m – vs Forest (A).
It is unthinkable to benching Haaland, however with him having a tougher fixture on the road this week, we are opting to pass over him with the captain's role.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m