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What number of The Reds selections might you squeeze in your team for this round?

The Merseyside club are coming off back-to-back wins , featuring a red-hot striker in their French frontman going into a fixture with a struggling Wolves side currently tracking for one of the worst Premier League seasons in history.

For managers who held onto a portion of your AFCON wildcards and have the funds to reinvest by replacing the injured Manchester United's playmaker, consequently assets from Anfield options ought to be your top priority.

This team of the week is constructed based on latest FPL valuations to comply with a £100m cap, mirroring you were playing a Free Hit chip.

A Look Back at Last Week's Selection?

Captain Manchester City's striker (32 points) , combined with the in-form duo of Antoine Semenyo (10 points) as well as Liverpool's frontman guided the selection to a solid 82 points – enhanced by a double-digit contribution from Fulham's defender as a substitute.

Our FPL Selection for Gameweek 18

Keeper & Defence

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

Arsenal's defence suffered a slight stumble after the absence of Gabriel, however, they've recorded two shutouts in their past four and have 9 to their name before half the season gone.

Mikel Arteta's side have let in goals in only three fixtures at the Emirates this season. Those goals came from Erling Haaland, a wondrous strike from Richarlison , plus a unexpected header from Tolu Arokodare.

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

This week features a triple-up on the Arsenal backline.

Not only are they the best defence in FPL, with a clean sheet in over 50% of their matches, they face a Roberto De Zerbi's team that has not found the net in their past two matches.

Brighton have scored just nine goals across eight matches on the road.

The Dutch defender remains a reliable option every week and has greater goal threat operating as right-back.

The Ecuadorian has registered 'defcon' points in four consecutive appearances, which included two clean sheets.

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

Managers would love six Liverpool assets this week if allowed.

Wolves were shut out once again so far during Saturday's 2-0 home loss to Brentford.

The Midlands side have only managed nine goals in total, including a couple on the road. This is a very secure shutout opportunity possible.

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

Despite the Yorkshire club's recent offensive form – and the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – we're selecting a Sunderland clean sheet on home soil.

That would mark a third in a row , with Alderete is cementing himself as the best budget defensive pick. You can start him confidently in most games, given his regular defensive contribution returns.

Midfield

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

Mount should play a significant responsibility at Manchester United over the coming fixtures, due to Bruno Fernandes being sidelined.

Recently, Erik ten Hag's team boast the best expected goals (xG) in the league by a comfortable distance – 8.78 compared to second-best Leeds United's 5.68.

They face a Newcastle United side that has been poor on the road – with just a single victory from seven attempts.

The former Chelsea man could well assume many of Fernandes' playmaking duties, particularly from dead-ball situations, potentially feature behind the striker.

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

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

He has registered attacking returns across four recent games – two assists plus a 'defcon' display.

During that spell his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the highest of any his teammates, and his expected goals is 0.88.

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

Boasting 30 points in two games, Rogers' hot streak is impossible to ignore.

He is Aston Villa's talisman, with an ability to creating a strike with half a yard of room inside the area.

A fixture at Chelsea may appear a difficult assignment, but Villa have won there 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, a lack of rivalry for his place, coupled with scored five goals over three matches, Ekitike gets the captain's armband for this round.

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

One cannot consider omitting the Norwegian goal machine, however because he has a more difficult fixture on the road this week, I'm willing to look elsewhere for captaincy.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m