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

The quantity of The Reds assets might you accommodate into your lineup for this round?

The Merseyside club have secured two consecutive victories and boast a in-form attacker in Hugo Ekitike ahead of a fixture with Wolverhampton Wanderers that are tracking for a historically poor top-flight campaigns on record.

If you've held onto a few of your AFCON wildcards and have the budget to reinvest by replacing the sidelined Bruno Fernandes, consequently Liverpool picks ought to be the main consideration.

The team of the week is constructed according to current FPL valuations to fit within a 100 million pound cap, mirroring using a one-week wildcard.

How Did Last Week's Selection?

Captain Erling Haaland (a huge score) and the productive pair of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) as well as Liverpool's frontman guided the squad to a handsome score – with a bonus a double-digit cameo from Antonee Robinson as a substitute.

Our FPL Ideal Squad for Matchday 18

Goalkeeper & Defence

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

Arsenal's backline suffered a brief dip following an injury to their Brazilian defender, yet they've secured two clean sheets over their last four matches , boasting 9 already with not even the campaign's midpoint gone.

The Emirates Stadium outfit have conceded in only three fixtures at the Emirates campaign. Those goals came from a Manchester City superstar, a wondrous strike from Richarlison and a unexpected goal from Wolves' attacker.

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

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

Not only are they the best defence statistically, with a clean sheet in over 50% of their matches, they host a Brighton team that has failed to score in their last two matches.

Brighton have scored just 9 goals in eight away games.

Timber continues to be a steady pick each gameweek and has increased goal threat since returning to the full-back role.

Hincapie has earned defensive contribution points in his past four starts, featuring a pair of shutouts.

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

I'd pick half a dozen Anfield players this week if allowed.

Gary O'Neil's team drew another blank once again this season during a recent two-nil home loss to the Bees.

They have a paltry 9 goals in total, with only two away from home. It represents one of the safest shutout opportunity possible.

Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – vs Leeds (H).

Even with the Yorkshire club's improved offensive form – and the form of their striker – I'm backing a Sunderland shutout on home soil.

This would secure a third consecutive , with the Paraguayan defender becoming a prime low-cost defender option. Managers can select him regularly across many fixtures, thanks to his consistent defensive contribution returns.

Midfield

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

Mount will likely assume a key role for Manchester United in the next few games, due to Bruno Fernandes suffering an injury.

In their last three matches, United have generated the greatest expected goals (xG) across the Premier League by a comfortable distance – 8.78 against second-best Leeds United's 5.68.

They face a Newcastle United team who have struggled on the road – managing one win in seven.

The former Chelsea man may take over many of Fernandes' playmaking duties, particularly on set-pieces, potentially feature in the number 10 role.

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

Wirtz is poised for a significant score , with a home match against the struggling Wolves being an ideal scenario for that to happen.

Wirtz has registered attacking returns across his past four games – a pair of assists and one defensive contribution display.

In that period he has created 10 chances, a team-high among all Liverpool, and his expected goals is 0.88.

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

With 30 points in two games, Rogers' hot streak demands attention.

He's Villa's key attacker, with an ability to producing a strike with half a yard of room in the box.

An away trip at Chelsea may appear a tough assignment, but Villa have emerged victorious at that ground on two occasions in the past three seasons.

Strikers

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

Given facing an abysmal Wolves side, having no rivalry for his place, and having notched five goals over three matches, the French striker gets the captaincy for this round.

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

It is unthinkable to omitting Haaland, but with him having a more difficult fixture on the road in this round, I'm willing to look elsewhere with the captain's role.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m