Captain Hugo Ekitike along with a Triple Gunners Backline – The FPL Squad for the Round

The quantity of The Reds selections can you fit into your squad for this round?

The Merseyside club have notched a pair of triumphs , with a red-hot forward in their French frontman going into a encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers who are heading towards a historically poor Premier League seasons on record.

For managers who retained a few of your Africa Cup of Nations wildcards , and possess the funds to upgrade by replacing the sidelined Manchester United's playmaker, then Liverpool options must be the primary focus.

This team of the week is chosen based on latest FPL prices to stay under a £100m cap, as if you were playing a Free Hit.

How Did The Previous Team?

Skipper Erling Haaland (a huge score) and the hot duo of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) plus Liverpool's frontman guided the selection to a respectable 82 points – with a bonus a double-digit cameo from Antonee Robinson as a substitute.

The FPL Ideal Squad for Gameweek 18

Goalkeeper & Defence

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

Arsenal's defence had a brief dip following an injury to Gabriel, however, they've secured two shutouts recently , boasting 9 to their name before half the season gone.

Mikel Arteta's side have let in goals in just a handful of fixtures at the Emirates campaign. The strikes they conceded were scored by a Manchester City superstar, a spectacular strike from Tottenham's forward and a late header from Tolu Arokodare.

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

This week features a triple-up on the Gunners' defence.

As well as being the best defence statistically, recording shutouts in the majority of their matches, they take on a Brighton side that has not found the net in two consecutive games.

Brighton have only managed 9 strikes across eight fixtures away from home.

The Dutch defender is a reliable option every week , with more attacking upside operating as right-back.

The Ecuadorian has earned 'defcon' points over his last four appearances, which included two clean sheets.

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

One could select half a dozen Anfield players for this fixture if allowed.

Gary O'Neil's team were shut out for the 10th time this season in Saturday's two-nil defeat at Molineux to Brentford.

The Midlands side have a paltry 9 strikes this campaign, including a couple away from home. This is one of the safest clean sheet bet possible.

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

Despite Leeds United's improved offensive form – highlighted by Dominic Calvert-Lewin – I'm backing a Stadium of Light clean sheet on home soil.

It would be their third in a row and Alderete becoming an outstanding budget defender option. You can field him regularly across many fixtures, due to his consistent defensive contribution points.

Midfield

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

Mount will likely assume a significant role at Manchester United in the next few games, with Bruno Fernandes out injured.

Recently, United have generated the highest xG in the league by a comfortable distance – 8.78 against the next best Leeds' 5.68.

They face a Newcastle team who have been poor away from home – with just one win from seven attempts.

Mount could well inherit a large share of Fernandes' playmaking duties, notably from dead-ball situations, potentially play behind the striker.

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

The German playmaker is poised for a major point return , with a home match versus Wolves being an ideal scenario for it.

He has delivered returns in three of his past four games – two assists plus a 'defcon' performance.

Over that time he's made 10 chances, the highest among all his teammates, and his expected goals totals 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 is Aston Villa's talisman, who can creating a goal from half a yard of space inside the area.

An away trip to Stamford Bridge may appear a difficult assignment, the Birmingham club have emerged victorious there in two of the past three seasons.

Strikers

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

Given facing an abysmal Wolves side, having no competition for a starting spot, and having scored a five-goal haul in three games, the French striker gets the double-points role for this round.

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

It is unthinkable to omitting Haaland, but because he has a tricky fixture on the road this week, I'm willing to pass over him for captaincy.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m

Larry Jackson
Larry Jackson

Elara is a systems engineer with over a decade of experience in performance analytics and monitoring technologies.