Home matches against promoted opponents give Arsenal and Liverpool’s key performers the chance to deliver big hauls in Gameweek 18 of Fantasy Premier League.
Three players from each club are selected in the best XI; Arsenal’s Gabriel (£6.3m), Gabriel Martinelli (£6.7m) and Gabriel Jesus (£6.8m) entertain Ipswich Town, while Liverpool trio Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m), Mohamed Salah (£13.5m) and Luis Diaz (£7.4m) host Leicester City.
Both also head into the Gameweek in fine attacking form, with Arsenal winning 5-1 at Crystal Palace last Saturday evening before Liverpool’s 6-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur the following day.
The best XI lines up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Salah firmly holding onto the armband, while Newcastle United’s in-form Alexander Isak (£9.0m) replaces Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (£11.3m) as vice-captain.
Robert Sanchez (Chelsea) £4.8m
A home encounter with Fulham allows the Chelsea No 1 the chance to continue his improving run of returns. Sanchez has produced two of his four clean sheets this season in his last four outings, amassing 19 points.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) £7.1m
Three assists, a clean sheet and two bonus points in the last four Gameweeks highlights the Liverpool right-back’s many routes to returns. Alexander-Arnold’s totals of 30 chances created and 10 big chances created both rank among the top two defenders this season, showing his major potential for assists against Leicester.
Gabriel (Arsenal) £6.3m
Arsenal’s centre-back has already surpassed his attacking output of three goals and one assist from 2023/24, with three goals and two assists to his name this season. Factor in his big potential for clean sheets and bonus points and it’s easy to see why Gabriel is a “set and forget” option for many managers’ defences.
Lewis Dunk (Brighton) £4.4m
Brighton & Hove Albion’s centre-back could provide a great source of all-round value at home to Brentford. Five of Dunk’s eight shots in the box this season have come in the last four Gameweeks, while his visitors have scored just six goals in their eight away matches, the third-worst total in the league.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) £13.5m
In his best-ever start to his eight-season Fantasy career, Liverpool’s Egyptian is making the captaincy decision a very easy one right now. Salah first campaign under head coach Arne Slot continues to go from strength to strength, with two of his three top scores for 2024/25 - 21 and 18 - arriving in his last three appearances.
Cole Palmer (Chelsea) £11.3m
Although he has been overshadowed by Salah recently, the underlying statistics show Palmer has remained a huge threat for goals and assists. The Chelsea star’s 18 chances created in the last six Gameweeks were more than any other player in Fantasy, while his 23 shots placed just behind the 25 of Salah at the summit.
Luis Diaz (Liverpool) £7.4m
The Colombian’s return to form and 13 points at Spurs took his tally to four double-figure hauls for the campaign. Granted, he may have his minutes slightly managed over the festive spell but Diaz’s new role up front and potential for big returns can reward investors for many Gameweeks to come.
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) £6.7m
If you’re keen to replace Bukayo Saka (£10.5m) with an Arsenal team-mate, Martinelli’s goal threat suggests he can be great value at just £6.7m. The Brazilian’s 10 big chances were more than the combined nine of Martin Odegaard (£8.3m) and Leandro Trossard (£6.8m), while his 22.2 per cent goal conversion is more than TWICE the 10.9 per cent of Saka himself.
Alexander Isak (Newcastle) £9.0m
The Newcastle United star has emerged as the must-have for Gameweek 18 - Isak has been transferred in by a massive 790,000+ managers for his home match with Aston Villa, more than TWICE the total of any other player. Since returning from injury in Gameweek 8, Isak is the second top-scoring player in Fantasy, with his 78 points surpassed only by the 115 of Salah.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) £6.8m
The Brazilian’s case for another start at home to Ipswich could not be any stronger – Jesus has been involved in SIX of Arsenal’s eight goals in their last two matches across all competitions, scoring five and assisting one.
Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest) £6.6m
As the focal point of Nottingham Forest’s attacker, Wood looks set to exploit a Spurs side who have conceded nine goals in their last two matches in all competitions. Wood’s 14 big chances, or situations where a player is expected to score, is almost THREE times the total of any team-mate.
