Captain Ekitike and triple Arsenal defence – FPL team of the week

With less than half the season still in play, Arsenal’s defense struggled a little with Gabriel’s injury, but they have already kept two clean sheets in their last four and nine.

This season, the Gunners have kept clean sheets in every but three of their home games. Erling Haaland scored the goals that were conceded, Richarlison’s stunning halfway header, and Tolu Arokodare’s unexpected late winner for the typically toothless Wolves.

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

This week’s Arsenal defense trio is on fire.

They face a Brighton side that hasn’t scored in their previous two games, and they have the best defense in the league and have kept a clean sheet in more than half of their matches.

In their eight away games, the Seagulls have only scored nine goals.

Timber is a good choice every week and, with his return to right-back, has more attacking potential.

In his previous four starts, which included two clean sheets, Hincapie has collected defensive contribution points (defcon).

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, £57.00 – Wolves (h)

If I could, I would pick six Liverpool players for this week.

In their 2-0 home loss to Brentford on Saturday, Wolves lost 10 games without scoring.

All-season, they have only managed two goals on the road, nine of which are goals. As safe as they come, this is.

Sunderland‘s Omar Alderete, £4 million- Leeds (h)

I’m backing a Sunderland clean sheet at home despite the recent upward trend in goalscoring and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s form.

With Bruno Fernandes out, Mount should play a significant role for Manchester United in the coming games.

United has scored 8.78 goals in its past three games, beating second-best Leeds by 5.68, which is the league’s highest expected goals (xG) by more than three goals.

They have won seven games against a Newcastle side that haven’t been particularly strong on the road.

Mount is likely to take on a lot of Fernandes’ creative responsibilities, especially on set-pieces, and is a strong choice as number 10 overall.

Liverpool‘s Florian Wirtz, £8.1 million-Wolves (h)

A home game against Wolves is the ideal time for it because Wirtz is on the verge of a haul.

In three of his previous four games, he has returned with two assists and one assist.

He has created 10 chances in that time, which is the most of any Liverpool player, and his xG is 0 / 8.

Morgan Rogers, Chelsea, Aston Villa, $7.2 million (a)

Rogers’ form is unavoidable with 30 points in two games.

Villa’s hero, who can score a goal from a box with only a yard of space available.

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

Ekitike will receive the captain’s armband this week because he faces a terrible Wolves side, has no other options for starting, and has five goals in three games.

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

Haaland won’t be dropped, but because of his tougher away match this week, I’m willing to take his place with captaincy.

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

Bowen hasn’t been a popular choice this year because he switched from midfield to striker, but his five goals and two assists have made him the front-row man with the fourth-highest points total.

Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders, £5.2 million- Nottingham Forest (a)

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

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