Captain Hugo Ekitike and a Three-Pronged Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round

What number of Liverpool selections can you accommodate into your lineup in the upcoming gameweek?

The Merseyside club are coming off back-to-back wins , with a red-hot forward in their French frontman preparing for a clash with a struggling Wolves side who are heading towards an abysmal top-flight seasons in history.

Should you have retained a few of your Africa Cup of Nations wildcards , with the cash to upgrade after losing the injured Bruno Fernandes, then assets from Anfield options ought to be the main consideration.

The weekly selection is constructed based on present Fantasy Premier League valuations to fit within a £100m cap, simulating you were playing a Free Hit.

How Did Last Week's Selection?

Skipper Erling Haaland (a huge score) and the productive duo of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) as well as Hugo Ekitike guided the squad to a respectable score – with a bonus a double-digit cameo from Antonee Robinson as a substitute.

The FPL Ideal Squad for Gameweek 18

Goalkeeper & Defence

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H).

Arsenal's backline had a minor wobble following an injury to Gabriel, but they have recorded two clean sheets over their last four matches , boasting nine to their name with not even the campaign's midpoint gone.

Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in just a handful of fixtures at the Emirates this season. Those goals came from a Manchester City superstar, a long-range effort from Richarlison , plus a late header from Wolves' attacker.

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

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

They are the best defence statistically, with a clean sheet in more than half of their fixtures, they face a Brighton side who have not found the net in their last two games.

The South Coast club have scored just 9 goals across eight away games.

Timber remains a steady option every week and has greater offensive potential since returning to right-back.

The Ecuadorian has earned 'defcon' points in four consecutive starts, featuring a pair of shutouts.

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

Managers would love half a dozen Anfield players this week if possible.

Gary O'Neil's team failed to score for the tenth occasion so far in Saturday's two-nil defeat at Molineux to the Bees.

The Midlands side have a paltry nine goals in total, with only a couple away from home. That makes this a very secure clean sheet opportunity imaginable.

Omar Alderete, the Black Cats, £4m – vs Leeds (H).

Even with the Yorkshire club's improved offensive form – including the performances of their striker – we're selecting a Sunderland clean sheet at home.

That would mark their third in a row and Alderete establishing himself as the best budget defender option. Managers can select him with assurance across many fixtures, given his potential for 'defcon' returns.

Midfielders

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

Mount will likely assume a bigger part for Manchester United in the next few games, with Bruno Fernandes out injured.

Over the past three games, Erik ten Hag's team boast the best expected goals (xG) in the league by a significant margin – 8.78 compared to the next best Leeds' 5.68.

Their opponents are a Newcastle team who have been poor on the road – managing one win in their last seven.

Mount is likely to take over many of the injured star's playmaking duties, notably on set-pieces, and could feature as an attacking midfielder.

Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.1m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).

The German playmaker is due a big haul and a home match against Wolves being the prime scenario for that to happen.

He has posted points in three of four recent fixtures – a pair of assists plus a defensive contribution performance.

During that spell he's made 10 chances, a team-high of any Liverpool, while his xG stands at 0.88.

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

After recording 30 points over two matches, Rogers' hot streak is impossible to ignore.

He is Aston Villa's talisman, capable of creating a strike from the smallest space inside the area.

An away trip at Chelsea could be viewed as a difficult assignment, the Birmingham club have won there on two occasions in recent years.

Forwards

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

Because of facing an abysmal Wolves side, a lack of rivalry for his place, and having scored five goals in three games, Ekitike earns the captain's armband this week.

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

It is unthinkable to dropping Haaland, although with him having a tricky away game in this round, the choice is to bet against him with the captain's role.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m

Nicole Robertson
Nicole Robertson

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in casino reviews and strategy development.