FPL tips for gameweek 18: Captain Hugo Ekitike, pick Mason Mount and go big on Arsenal defence

How many Liverpool players can you get into your team this week?

The Reds have won their past two, have a red-hot striker in Hugo Ekitike and take on a Wolves side on course for the worst Premier League season ever.

If you’ve kept some of your free Africa Cup of Nations transfers in hand – and if you have cash to spend by replacing the injured Bruno Fernandes – then Liverpool players have to be your top priority.

The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.

Don’t miss our FPL special Q&A with expert Pras, live on the BBC Sport website on 26 December at 16:30 GMT.

Captain Erling Haaland (32 points) and in-form pair Antoine Semenyo (10) and Hugo Ekitike led the team to a nice 82 points – with a bonus 10-pointer from Antonee Robinson off the bench.

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m – Brighton (h)

Arsenal’s defence had a bit of a stumble following Gabriel’s injury, but they have two clean sheets in their past four and nine already with less than half the season played.

The Gunners have clean sheets in all but three home games this season as well. Those goals conceded were from Erling Haaland, a Richarlison stunner from the halfway line and a surprise late header from Tolu Arokodare for usually toothless Wolves.

Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) and Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), Arsenal – Brighton (h)

It’s an Arsenal triple-up this week in defence.

As well as being the best defence in the game, with a clean sheet in more than half their matches, they take on a Brighton side that has failed to score in their past two outings.

The Seagulls have only managed nine goals in eight away games.

Timber is a solid choice every week and has more attacking upside now he is back at right-back.

Hincapie has earned defensive contribution points (defcon) in his past four starts, which included two clean sheets.

Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £5.9m – Wolves (h)

I’d pick six Liverpool players this week if I could.

Wolves failed to score for the 10th time in 17 games in Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to Brentford.

They have only managed nine goals all season, including two on the road. This is as safe a clean sheet as they come.

Omar Alderete, Sunderland, £4m – Leeds (h)

Despite Leeds’ recent goalscoring upturn – and the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – I’m backing a Sunderland clean sheet at home.

It would be their third in a row and Alderete is cementing himself as the best budget defensive pick. You can start him confidently in most games, given his defcon potential.

Mason Mount, Manchester United, £5.9m – Newcastle (h)

Mount should play a big role for Manchester United in the next few games, with Bruno Fernandes injured.

In the past three games, United have the highest expected goals (xG) in the league by more than three goals – 8.78 to second-best Leeds’ 5.68.

They face a Newcastle side who have not been great on the road – one win in seven.

Mount is likely to pick up a lot of Fernandes’ creative responsibilities, especially on set-pieces, and could well play at number 10.

Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.1m – Wolves (h)

Wirtz is on the verge of a haul and a home match against Wolves is the prime time for it.

He has returns in three of his past four games – two assists and one defcon performance.

In that time he has created 10 chances, the most of any Liverpool player, and his xG is 0.88.

Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – Chelsea (a)

With 30 points in two games, Rogers’ form is impossible to ignore.

He’s Villa’s talisman, capable of producing a goal from half a yard of space in the box.

Away at Chelsea might seem tough, but Villa have won there in two of the past three seasons.

Hugo Ekitike (captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – Wolves (h)

Because he faces an abysmal Wolves side, has no competition for a starting spot and has scored five goals in three games, Ekitike gets the captain’s armband this week.

Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £15.1m – Nottingham Forest (a)

There’s no dropping Haaland but, because he has a tougher away game this week, I’m willing to bet against him with captaincy.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m – Fulham (h)

Bowen hasn’t been a fashionable choice this season after his move from midfielder to striker, but five goals and two assists has been enough to make him the fourth-highest points scorer among forwards.

Fulham have lost key defender Calvin Bassey to Afcon, and are there for the taking.

Martin Dubravka, Burnley, £4m – Everton (h)

Tijjani Reijnders, Manchester City, £5.2m – Nottingham Forest (a)

Michael Keane, Everton, £4.6m – Burnley (a)

Anton Stach, Leeds, £4.8m – Sunderland (a)

Team total cost: £99.6m