Skipper Ekitike and a Triple Gunners Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round

How many The Reds assets might you fit inside your squad in the upcoming gameweek?

Jurgen Klopp's side are coming off back-to-back wins and boast a sizzling forward in their French frontman preparing for a clash with Wolves that are on course for a historically poor Premier League campaigns on record.

Should you have kept some of your Africa Cup of Nations free transfers , and possess the funds to spend following the injury to the injured Manchester United's playmaker, consequently Liverpool picks should be your top priority.

The weekly selection is constructed using current Fantasy Premier League prices to stay under a £100m budget, simulating activating a Free Hit chip.

What Was the Performance of Last Week's Team?

Captain Erling Haaland (a massive haul) and the in-form pair of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) and Hugo Ekitike guided the squad to a handsome score – enhanced by a 10-point contribution from Antonee Robinson off the bench.

The Fantasy Premier League Selection for Matchday 18

Keeper and Defenders

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

The North London side's backline experienced a brief dip following an injury to Gabriel, yet they've recorded two shutouts in their past four , boasting nine so far before the campaign's midpoint played.

Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in only three home games this season. Those goals came from Erling Haaland, a wondrous strike from Richarlison and a late header from Tolu Arokodare.

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

We're opting for a three-pronged on the Gunners' backline.

As well as being the best defence in FPL, recording shutouts in more than half of their fixtures, they face a Roberto De Zerbi's team who have not found the net in their past two outings.

Brighton have only managed nine strikes from eight matches on the road.

The Dutch defender remains a solid pick each gameweek , possessing more offensive potential since returning to the full-back role.

The Ecuadorian has collected 'defcon' points over his last four starts, including two clean sheets.

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

Managers would love six Anfield assets for this fixture if possible.

Gary O'Neil's team failed to score once again in 17 games during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Molineux to the Bees.

The Midlands side have a paltry 9 goals all season, including a couple away from home. That makes this one of the safest clean sheet opportunity available.

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

Even with the Yorkshire club's better goalscoring upturn – and the form of their striker – we're selecting a Stadium of Light clean sheet at home.

It would be their third in a row , with Alderete establishing himself as a prime value defender option. Managers can start him confidently across many fixtures, due to his regular defensive contribution returns.

Midfield

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

The English midfielder is expected to take on a significant responsibility for Manchester United in the next few games, due to their Portuguese maestro suffering an injury.

Recently, Erik ten Hag's team boast the greatest expected goals (xG) across the Premier League by a comfortable distance – 8.78 versus second-best Leeds' 5.68.

They face a Newcastle United side who have been poor in away matches – with just one win from seven attempts.

Mount is likely to inherit a large share of Fernandes' creative responsibilities, especially on set-pieces, and could feature behind the striker.

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

Wirtz is due a big haul and a fixture at Anfield against Wolves presenting the prime time for that to happen.

He has registered attacking returns across his last four fixtures – a pair of assists plus a 'defcon' performance.

In that period his chance creation stands at 10 chances, a team-high of any Liverpool, and his expected goals totals 0.88.

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

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

He's Aston Villa's key attacker, capable of creating a strike from half a yard of room inside the area.

A fixture at Chelsea could be viewed as a challenging proposition, the Birmingham club have won at that ground in two of the last three campaigns.

Strikers

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

Due to his fixture, having no competition for a starting spot, and having bagged a five-goal haul in three games, Ekitike earns the captaincy this week.

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

One cannot consider dropping the Norwegian goal machine, however because he has a tougher fixture on the road in this round, we are opting to pass over him for the armband.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m