Skipper Hugo Ekitike and a Three-Pronged Gunners Backline – The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week

How many Liverpool players are you able to fit in your lineup for this round?

The Merseyside club have secured back-to-back wins , with a red-hot attacker in their French frontman ahead of a clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers currently tracking for an abysmal top-flight seasons on record.

For managers who kept a portion of your AFCON wildcards and have the funds to reinvest after losing the unavailable Manchester United's playmaker, in that case assets from Anfield options must be the primary focus.

This ideal squad is constructed using latest Fantasy Premier League costs to fit within a £100m spending limit, mirroring activating a one-week wildcard.

A Look Back at Last Week's Selection?

Skipper Manchester City's striker (a huge score) , combined with the productive duo of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) and Liverpool's frontman propelled the squad to a respectable score – supplemented by a double-digit performance from Fulham's defender off the bench.

The FPL Ideal Squad for the Upcoming Round

Goalkeeper & Defence

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton (H).

The North London side's backline suffered a minor wobble following the absence of their Brazilian defender, however, they've secured two shutouts in their past four , boasting 9 to their name before half the season gone.

Mikel Arteta's side have conceded in just a handful of matches at home campaign. Those goals came from Erling Haaland, a long-range effort from Tottenham's forward and a unexpected goal from Tolu Arokodare.

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

It's a triple-up on the Gunners' defence.

They are the top defensive unit statistically, with a clean sheet in more than half of their fixtures, they take on a Roberto De Zerbi's team that has failed to score in their last two games.

Brighton have only managed 9 goals across eight away games.

Timber is a steady option every week , with greater attacking upside since returning to the full-back role.

Hincapie has earned 'defcon' points in four consecutive starts, which included two clean sheets.

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

I'd pick six Liverpool players this week if the rules permitted.

Wolves drew another blank for the tenth occasion so far during a recent two-nil home loss to Brentford.

The Midlands side have a paltry 9 goals all season, including two on the road. That makes this a very secure clean sheet opportunity imaginable.

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

Regardless of Leeds United's improved offensive form – and the form of their striker – we're selecting a Stadium of Light clean sheet at home.

It would be a third consecutive and Alderete becoming the best budget defender option. You can select him with assurance across many fixtures, given his potential for 'defcon' points.

Midfielders

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

Mount should play a significant responsibility at Manchester United in the next few games, due to Bruno Fernandes out injured.

Over the past three games, Erik ten Hag's team registered the best expected goals (xG) statistically by a comfortable distance – 8.78 against the next best Leeds' 5.68.

They face a Newcastle United side that has struggled in away matches – with just a single victory in their last seven.

The former Chelsea man is likely to take over a large share of Fernandes' creative responsibilities, notably from dead-ball situations, and could feature behind the striker.

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

The German playmaker is on the verge of a major point return and a home match against Wolves being an ideal scenario for it.

He has registered attacking returns across his last four fixtures – two assists and one defensive contribution display.

During that spell he's made 10 chances, a team-high among all his teammates, and his xG is 0.88.

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

With 30 points in two games, the midfielder's form is impossible to ignore.

He's Villa's key attacker, who can creating a strike with half a yard of space inside the area.

An away trip at Stamford Bridge could be viewed as a challenging assignment, but Villa have emerged victorious there in two of the past three seasons.

Strikers

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

Due to facing an abysmal Wolves side, having no competition for his place, coupled with bagged a five-goal haul in three games, Ekitike receives the double-points role this week.

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

It is unthinkable to benching the Norwegian goal machine, although with him having a more difficult away game in this round, we are opting to bet against him for captaincy.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m