{"id":336014,"date":"2025-12-26T05:25:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T05:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/336014\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T05:25:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T05:25:15","slug":"fpl-gameweek-18-scout-picks-ekitike-in-liverpool-triple-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/336014\/","title":{"rendered":"FPL Gameweek 18 Scout Picks: Ekitike in Liverpool triple-up"},"content":{"rendered":"

We have chosen our best Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players for Gameweek 18 ahead of the Boxing Day deadline.<\/p>\n

As usual, we are limited by certain restrictions.<\/p>\n

An \u00a383.0m budget for our starting XIAn overall squad limit of \u00a3100.0mNo more than three players per teamGAMEWEEK 18 SCOUT SQUAD<\/p>\n

No standalone Scout Squad article this week but before we get to the Scout Picks, here\u2019s a look at who our panel nominated for Gameweek 18.<\/p>\n

NEALETOMSAMMARCGKJordan PickfordJordan PickfordDavid RayaDavid RayaDavid RayaDavid RayaJordan PickfordJordan PickfordRobin RoefsRobin RoefsRobin RoefsLucas PerriDEFJeremie FrimpongVirgil van DijkVirgil van DijkVirgil van DijkMichael KeaneJames TarkowskiJurrien TimberJames TarkowskiJurrien TimberJurrien TimberNico O\u2019ReillyNico O\u2019ReillyNico O\u2019ReillyNico O\u2019ReillyMarcos SenesiMarc GuehiMaxence LacroixKeane Lewis-PotterMicheal KeaneJoachim AndersenMIDBukayo SakaPhil FodenFlorian WirtzFlorian WirtzFlorian WirtzBukayo SakaBukayo SakaBukayo SakaPhil FodenMatheus CunhaJack GrealishJack GrealishAnthony GordonFlorian WirtzPhil FodenMatheus CunhaHarry WilsonYeremy PinoMateus FernandesHarry WilsonFWDHugo EkitikeErling HaalandHugo EkitikeErling HaalandErling HaalandHugo EkitikeErling HaalandHugo EkitikeIgor ThiagoJarrod BowenJarrod BowenJarrod BowenJarrod BowenIgor ThiagoRicharlisonIgor ThiagoRaul JimenezThierno BarryDominic Calvert-LewinDominic Calvert-LewinMOST PICKS: Jordan Pickford, David Raya, Nico O\u2019Reilly, Florian Wirtz, Bukayo Saka, Hugo Ekitike, Erling Haaland, Jarrod Bowen (four), Robin Roefs, Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber, Phil Foden, Igor Thiago (three)GAMEWEEK 18 SCOUT PICKS\"FPLGOALKEEPER\"FPL<\/p>\n

We have opted for Jordan Pickford (\u00a35.5m) in goal, as Everton travel to Burnley on Saturday. David Moyes\u2019 men have conceded only three goals in their previous four away matches, keeping clean sheets at Bournemouth and Manchester United. In sharp contrast, Burnley have failed to find the net in three of their last four home games. They also sit bottom for expected goals (xG) on home turf in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n

DEFENDERS\"Liverpool's<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve doubled up on the Everton defence with Michael Keane (\u00a34.7m), who continues to impress at the back for David Moyes\u2019 side. The centre-half has already found the net twice this season and has earned defensive contribution (DefCon) points in four of his last five appearances. And with the potential for a clean sheet, Keane looks a solid shout for points in Gameweek 18.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s admittedly a bit of trepidation about the Liverpool defence right now. However, Virgil van Dijk (\u00a35.9m) is up against a Wolverhampton Wanderers outfit with the lowest xG tally in away matches, scoring only twice on their travels all season. Furthermore, aside from Pascal Struijk (\u00a34.3m) and Dan Ballard (\u00a34.7m), no defender has racked up more headed goal attempts than van Dijk, so his threat from set-pieces is still very much present.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above: Defenders sorted by headed goal attempts (H) in 2025\/26<\/p>\n

An away trip to Nottingham Forest offers Nico O\u2019Reilly (\u00a35.3m) the chance for points at both ends of the pitch. The left-back scored against Real Madrid earlier this month and has the attacking numbers to back it up \u2013 he\u2019s bettered by only two FPL defenders for big chances since the start of September. Manchester City, meanwhile, have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three matches. Up against Forest, the omens look good for another shut-out.<\/p>\n

William Saliba (\u00a35.9m) is our representative from the Arsenal backline in Gameweek 18, as we\u2019re priced out of Jurrien Timber (\u00a36.5m). From a defensive standpoint, the Gunners are one of the bookies\u2019 favourites for a clean sheet, which isn\u2019t particularly surprising given that they can\u2019t be beaten for shut-outs, goals conceded or expected goals conceded (xGC) across the season. As for opponents Brighton and Hove Albion, they have faced difficulties in the absence of Danny Welbeck (\u00a36.4m), having failed to find the net against Sunderland and Liverpool.<\/p>\n

MIDFIELDERS\"FPL \u00a0\"\"\"\"\"Introducing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We have chosen our best Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players for Gameweek 18 ahead of the Boxing Day…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":336015,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[130758,130759,130760,59,35399,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-336014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-gameweek-18-best-picks","9":"tag-gameweek-18-best-players","10":"tag-gameweek-18-scout-picks","11":"tag-gb","12":"tag-scout-picks","13":"tag-sports","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=336014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/336015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=336014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=336014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=336014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}