Captain Hugo Ekitike along with a Three-Pronged Arsenal Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round

How many Liverpool selections are you able to accommodate in your squad for this round?

The Merseyside club have notched back-to-back wins and boast a in-form attacker in their French frontman going into a clash with a struggling Wolves side who are heading towards a historically poor Premier League campaigns in history.

If you've retained a few of your AFCON wildcards and have the funds to reinvest after losing the sidelined Manchester United's playmaker, then assets from Anfield players should be your top priority.

The weekly selection is constructed based on latest Fantasy Premier League prices to comply with a £100m cap, as if activating a one-week wildcard.

What Was the Performance of The Previous Team?

Captain Manchester City's striker (32 points) , alongside the productive duo of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) plus Hugo Ekitike propelled the squad to a respectable total – with a bonus a double-digit performance from Antonee Robinson off the bench.

This Week's FPL Selection for Matchday 18

Goalkeeper & Defence

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

Arsenal's backline had a minor wobble following the absence of Gabriel, yet they've kept two clean sheets over their last four matches , with 9 to their name before the campaign's midpoint completed.

Mikel Arteta's side have let in goals in only three home games this season. Those goals came from Erling Haaland, a spectacular effort from Richarlison and a late goal from Tolu Arokodare.

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

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

Not only are they the best defensive unit in FPL, recording shutouts in the majority of their matches, they host a Roberto De Zerbi's team that has drawn a blank in two consecutive outings.

The South Coast club have scored just 9 strikes across eight away games.

Timber remains a steady pick each gameweek and has more goal threat since returning to right-back.

Hincapie has registered defensive contribution points in four consecutive starts, featuring two clean sheets.

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

Managers would love six Liverpool assets this week if allowed.

Gary O'Neil's team failed to score for the 10th time this season in Saturday's two-nil defeat at Molineux to the Bees.

They have a paltry 9 goals all season, including two on the road. That makes this as safe a shutout bet imaginable.

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

Regardless of Leeds United's better goalscoring upturn – including the performances of their striker – we're selecting a Sunderland shutout at home.

That would mark their third consecutive and Alderete is cementing himself as a prime budget defensive pick. Managers can field him confidently across many fixtures, due to his consistent defensive contribution returns.

Midfield

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

The English midfielder is expected to take on a significant role for Old Trafford over the coming fixtures, following their Portuguese maestro suffering an injury.

In their last three matches, United have generated the highest expected goals (xG) in the league by a significant margin – 8.78 compared to the next best Leeds' 5.68.

They welcome a Newcastle United team who have not excelled in away matches – with just a single victory in their last seven.

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

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

Wirtz is poised for a significant score and a home match versus Wolves representing a perfect scenario for it.

He has posted points in three of four recent fixtures – two assists plus a 'defcon' performance.

Over that time he has created 10 chances, the most of any Liverpool, while his xG stands at 0.88.

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

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

He is Aston Villa's talisman, who can scoring a strike from the smallest space inside the area.

An away trip at Stamford Bridge may appear a difficult proposition, the Birmingham club have emerged victorious at that ground in two of the last three campaigns.

Strikers

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

Due to facing an abysmal Wolves side, having no rivalry for his place, and having notched a five-goal haul over three matches, the French striker gets the captaincy for this round.

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

It is unthinkable to dropping Haaland, however because he has a tricky fixture on the road in this round, we are opting to look elsewhere with the captain's role.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m