Captain Ekitike and a Triple Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week

The quantity of Liverpool players might you squeeze in your squad for this round?

The Merseyside club are coming off two consecutive victories , featuring a sizzling forward in Hugo Ekitike preparing for a fixture with a struggling Wolves side who are tracking for an abysmal Premier League seasons ever.

If you've retained some of your AFCON wildcards , with the cash to reinvest following the injury to the injured Manchester United's playmaker, in that case assets from Anfield players ought to be the primary focus.

The team of the week is constructed using latest Fantasy Premier League valuations to stay under a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit chip.

How Did Our Recent Squad?

Captain Erling Haaland (a massive haul) , combined with the productive pair of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) plus Liverpool's frontman guided the team to a handsome score – supplemented by a 10-point cameo from Fulham's defender as a substitute.

This Week's FPL Team of the Week for Gameweek 18

Keeper and Defence

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

The North London side's backline suffered a slight stumble in the wake of an injury to Gabriel, however, they've kept two shutouts over their last four matches , with 9 so far with not even half the season completed.

The Emirates Stadium outfit have conceded in just a handful of fixtures at the Emirates campaign. Those goals were scored by a Manchester City superstar, a long-range strike from Tottenham's forward and a late header from Wolves' attacker.

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

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

Not only are they the strongest defence in the game, with a clean sheet in over 50% of their matches, they host a Brighton team who have drawn a blank in two consecutive matches.

The South Coast club have a mere 9 goals from eight matches on the road.

The Dutch defender remains a reliable option each gameweek and has greater goal threat now he is the full-back role.

The Ecuadorian has registered defensive contribution points over his last four appearances, which included two clean sheets.

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

One could select six Anfield players for this fixture if possible.

Wolves were shut out for the 10th time so far in Saturday's 2-0 home loss to Brentford.

The Midlands side have a paltry nine strikes this campaign, with only a couple away from home. That makes this one of the safest shutout bet imaginable.

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

Regardless of Leeds United's improved offensive form – highlighted by their striker – we're selecting a Sunderland shutout on home soil.

It would be their third in a row and the Paraguayan defender establishing himself as a prime budget defender option. Managers can field him confidently in most games, thanks to his consistent 'defcon' returns.

Midfielders

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

Mount is expected to take on a bigger part at Old Trafford in the next few games, due to Bruno Fernandes suffering an injury.

In their last three matches, United have generated the greatest xG across the Premier League by a significant margin – 8.78 against second-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 is likely to take over many of the injured star's playmaking duties, especially from dead-ball situations, and could feature in the number 10 role.

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

The German playmaker is poised for a significant score and a fixture at Anfield versus Wolves representing an ideal scenario for that to happen.

Wirtz has posted points across four recent games – two assists plus a defensive contribution performance.

In that period his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the highest among all Liverpool, while his xG stands at 0.88.

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

With 30 points across two gameweeks, Rogers' form demands attention.

He's Aston Villa's talisman, who can scoring a strike from the smallest space in the box.

An away trip at Chelsea might seem a tough assignment, but Villa have emerged victorious at that ground on two occasions in recent years.

Strikers

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

Given facing an abysmal Wolves side, having no rivalry for a starting spot, coupled with scored a five-goal haul in three games, Ekitike receives the captain's armband for this round.

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

One cannot consider dropping the Norwegian goal machine, however because he has a more difficult away game this week, I'm willing to look elsewhere for captaincy.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m

Eric Osborn
Eric Osborn

A passionate gaming expert and content creator, Lena explores the latest trends in digital entertainment and shares insights with her audience.