🔗 Share this article Skipper Hugo Ekitike and a Triple Arsenal Defence – The FPL Squad for the Round The quantity of The Reds selections are you able to squeeze inside your squad this week? The Merseyside club are coming off a pair of triumphs , featuring a sizzling attacker in Hugo Ekitike going into a encounter with a struggling Wolves side currently tracking for an abysmal Premier League campaigns on record. Should you have kept a few of your Africa Cup of Nations wildcards , and possess the budget to reinvest after losing the injured Bruno Fernandes, consequently Liverpool options should be your top priority. This ideal squad is chosen using current Fantasy Premier League valuations to stay under a 100 million pound budget, as if activating a Free Hit chip. What Was the Performance of Our Recent Squad? Skipper Erling Haaland (32 points) , alongside the productive pair of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) plus Hugo Ekitike propelled the selection to a handsome total – enhanced by a 10-point cameo from Fulham's defender from the replacements. Our FPL Selection for Gameweek 18 Goalkeeper and Defence David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H). Arsenal's defence suffered a brief dip in the wake of an injury to their Brazilian defender, yet they've secured two shutouts recently , boasting 9 already before the campaign's midpoint completed. Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in all but three matches at home campaign. The strikes they conceded were scored by a Manchester City superstar, a spectacular strike from Tottenham's forward , plus a late header from Wolves' attacker. Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) and Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), the Gunners – vs Brighton (H). It's a triple-up from the Gunners' defence. Not only are they the best defence in the game, with a clean sheet in more than half of their matches, they host a Brighton side that has failed to score in their past two games. The South Coast club have only managed nine strikes from eight fixtures away from home. Timber is a steady choice every week , with greater goal threat now he is the full-back role. The Ecuadorian has earned 'defcon' points over his last four starts, featuring two clean sheets. Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £5.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H). Managers would love six Liverpool assets this week if possible. Wolves failed to score for the 10th time this season during Saturday's two-nil defeat at Molineux to the Bees. The Midlands side have a paltry 9 goals in total, including a couple away from home. This is one of the safest clean sheet prospect possible. Omar Alderete, the Black Cats, £4m – vs Leeds (H). Regardless of Leeds United's better offensive form – and the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – I'm backing a Stadium of Light clean sheet on home soil. It would be their third in a row and the Paraguayan defender is cementing himself as the best value defensive pick. Managers can select him confidently in most games, given his potential for defensive contribution points. Midfielders Mason Mount, Manchester United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle (H). Mount will likely assume a key part at Manchester United over the coming fixtures, with Bruno Fernandes suffering an injury. In their last three matches, Erik ten Hag's team have generated the best expected goals (xG) statistically by a comfortable distance – 8.78 against second-best Leeds United's 5.68. Their opponents are a Newcastle team that has been poor on the road – with just one win in seven. The former Chelsea man may assume many of Fernandes' creative responsibilities, notably from dead-ball situations, and might feature as an attacking midfielder. Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.1m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H). The German playmaker is poised for a significant score and a home match versus Wolves being a perfect opportunity for that to happen. Wirtz has posted points across his past four fixtures – a pair of assists plus a 'defcon' display. In that period he's made 10 chances, the highest among all his teammates, and his xG totals 0.88. Morgan Rogers, Villa, £7.2m – vs the Blues (A). After recording 30 points over two matches, the midfielder's hot streak demands attention. He is Villa's main goal threat, who can scoring a strike from half a yard of space in the box. A fixture to Chelsea may appear a difficult proposition, but Villa have won there in two of the last three campaigns. Strikers Hugo Ekitike (Captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – vs Wolves (H). Given facing an abysmal Wolves side, a lack of rivalry for a starting spot, and having scored five goals over three matches, Ekitike earns the captain's armband for this round. Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £15.1m – vs Nottingham Forest (A). There's no benching Haaland, but because he has a tricky fixture on the road in this round, the choice is to look elsewhere with the captain's role. Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m