Skipper Hugo Ekitike and a Three-Pronged Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week
How many Liverpool assets might you accommodate in your squad for this round?
The Merseyside club have notched back-to-back wins , featuring a sizzling forward in Hugo Ekitike ahead of a clash with a struggling Wolves side who are heading towards an abysmal top-flight seasons in history.
Should you have held onto some of your Africa Cup of Nations wildcards , and possess the funds to upgrade following the injury to the unavailable Manchester United's playmaker, in that case Liverpool options ought to be the primary focus.
The team of the week is chosen according to latest FPL costs to fit within a 100 million pound spending limit, simulating you were playing a Free Hit.
A Look Back at Our Recent Team?
Skipper Erling Haaland (a huge score) and the in-form duo of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) plus Liverpool's frontman propelled the team to a respectable 82 points – supplemented by a double-digit contribution from Fulham's defender off the bench.
This Week's Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week for Matchday 18
Goalkeeper and Defence
David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton (H).
Arsenal's defence had a brief dip after the absence of Gabriel, yet they've recorded two clean sheets in their past four , boasting nine already with less than the campaign's midpoint played.
Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in just a handful of matches at home campaign. Those goals came from Erling Haaland, a long-range strike from Richarlison , plus a late goal 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.
As well as being the best defensive unit in the game, with a clean sheet in the majority of their fixtures, they host a Brighton side who have failed to score in their last two outings.
Brighton have a mere 9 strikes in eight away games.
Timber remains a reliable option every week and has greater goal threat since returning to the full-back role.
The Ecuadorian has collected 'defcon' points over his last four starts, which included a pair of shutouts.
Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £5.9m – vs Wolves (H).
One could select six Liverpool players for this fixture if possible.
Wolves drew another blank once again so far during a recent two-nil defeat at Molineux to Brentford.
The Midlands side have only managed 9 goals this campaign, with only a couple away from home. It represents one of the safest clean sheet opportunity possible.
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds (H).
Despite the Yorkshire club's recent goalscoring upturn – and the form of their striker – the pick is a Sunderland shutout on home soil.
This would secure their third consecutive and Alderete establishing himself as an outstanding low-cost defender option. Managers can start him with assurance in most games, given his potential for 'defcon' points.
Midfield
Mason Mount, United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle (H).
The English midfielder will likely assume a key responsibility at Old Trafford in the next few games, due to their Portuguese maestro being sidelined.
In their last three matches, United boast the greatest xG across the Premier League by a significant margin – 8.78 against the next best Leeds' 5.68.
They face a Newcastle side that has not excelled in away matches – with just a single victory from seven attempts.
Mount is likely to assume a large share of the injured star's playmaking duties, notably on set-pieces, and could operate behind the striker.
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.1m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
Wirtz is on the verge of a significant score , with a home match versus Wolves being the prime scenario for that to happen.
Wirtz has registered attacking returns across his last four games – a pair of assists and one 'defcon' performance.
Over that time his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the most among all Liverpool, while his xG totals 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – vs Chelsea (A).
With 30 points over two matches, the midfielder's form is impossible to ignore.
He's Villa's talisman, with an ability to creating a goal with the smallest space in the box.
An away trip at Stamford Bridge may appear a tough proposition, but Villa have won there in two of the last three campaigns.
Strikers
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), the Reds, £8.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
Given his fixture, a lack of competition for a starting spot, and having scored five goals over three matches, Ekitike receives the captain's armband this week.
Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £15.1m – vs Forest (A).
There's no omitting the Norwegian goal machine, although because he has a tricky away game this week, the choice is to pass over him for captaincy.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m