Skipper Hugo Ekitike along with a Triple Arsenal Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week

What number of Liverpool selections might you squeeze in your squad in the upcoming gameweek?

Jurgen Klopp's side are coming off a pair of triumphs and boast a in-form striker in their French frontman going into a fixture with a struggling Wolves side that are tracking for a historically poor Premier League campaigns in history.

For managers who held onto a few of your Africa Cup of Nations free transfers and have the cash to reinvest after losing the unavailable Manchester United's playmaker, consequently assets from Anfield options should be the primary focus.

The weekly selection is assembled according to current Fantasy Premier League costs to fit within a £100m cap, mirroring activating a Free Hit.

A Look Back at Last Week's Selection?

Skipper Manchester City's striker (a huge score) and the in-form pair of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) as well as Hugo Ekitike propelled the squad to a handsome 82 points – supplemented by a 10-point contribution from Antonee Robinson as a substitute.

Our FPL Team of the Week for Matchday 18

Goalkeeper and Defence

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

Arsenal's defence suffered a minor wobble following an injury to their Brazilian defender, but they have recorded two clean sheets over their last four matches and have 9 to their name before the campaign's midpoint played.

Mikel Arteta's side have let in goals in all but three fixtures at the Emirates this season. The strikes they conceded came from Erling Haaland, a wondrous strike from Richarlison and a surprise header from Tolu Arokodare.

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

This week features a triple selection from the Arsenal defence.

As well as being the top defensive unit statistically, recording shutouts in more than half of their matches, they take on a Roberto De Zerbi's side that has not found the net in their past two games.

Brighton have scored just 9 goals in eight away games.

The Dutch defender remains a reliable choice every week and has more goal threat now he is right-back.

The Ecuadorian has earned defensive contribution points in four consecutive starts, featuring two clean sheets.

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

One could select six Anfield players this week if the rules permitted.

Wolves failed to score once again so far in Saturday's 2-0 home loss to Brentford.

They have a paltry nine strikes this campaign, including a couple on the road. It represents one of the safest shutout opportunity imaginable.

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

Despite the Yorkshire club's improved offensive form – and the form of their striker – I'm backing a Stadium of Light shutout on home soil.

It would be their third consecutive and the Paraguayan defender becoming an outstanding budget defensive pick. Managers can select him regularly across many fixtures, due to his regular defensive contribution points.

Midfield

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

The English midfielder is expected to take on a bigger role at Old Trafford over the coming fixtures, following Bruno Fernandes being sidelined.

Recently, United boast the greatest expected goals (xG) statistically by a significant margin – 8.78 compared to second-best Leeds United's 5.68.

They face a Newcastle team who have struggled away from home – with just one win in seven.

The former Chelsea man could well assume many of Fernandes' playmaking duties, especially on set-pieces, potentially feature as an attacking midfielder.

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

Wirtz is poised for a big haul and a fixture at Anfield versus Wolves representing a perfect scenario for that to happen.

Wirtz has registered attacking returns in three out of his last four fixtures – a pair of assists and one defensive contribution performance.

In that period he's made 10 chances, a team-high of any his teammates, while his xG totals 0.88.

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

Boasting 30 points in two games, the midfielder's current form demands attention.

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

A fixture at Chelsea might seem a challenging proposition, the Birmingham club have emerged victorious at that ground in two of the past three seasons.

Strikers

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

Given his fixture, having no competition for a starting spot, coupled with scored five goals in three games, Ekitike receives the captain's armband for this round.

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

One cannot consider benching the Norwegian goal machine, although because he has a tougher away game in this round, the choice is to pass over him for the armband.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m