Gameweek 17 of the Fantasy Premier League served up an interesting set of results. The Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool encounter ended in a crazy 3-6 victory for Arne Slot’s Reds while Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest lit up the weekend with a 15-point haul against Brentford. Let us look at the top performers of GW17.
| Player | Club | GW18 Points | GW18 Opponents |
| Ola Aina | Nottingham Forest | 15 points | Brentford |
| Dean Huijsen | Bournemouth | 14 points | Manchester United |
| Neco Williams | Nottingham Forest | 11 points | Brentford |
Top 5 Best FPL Defenders to Pick in Gameweek 18
| Rank | Player | Club | Price | Points | GW18 Opponents |
| 1 | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool | £7.1m | 66 points | Leicester City |
| 2 | William Saliba | Arsenal | £6.3m | 63 points | Ipswich Town |
| 3 | Gabriel | Arsenal | £6.3m | 73 points | Ipswich Town |
| 4 | Dean Huijsen | Bournemouth | £4.3m | 40 points | Crystal Palace |
| 5 | Levi Colwill | Chelsea | £4.6m | 41 points | Fulham |
5. Levi Colwill – Chelsea | 41 points | £4.6m
Levi Colwill has emerged as one of the most improved players for Chelsea this season. Frequently ridiculed last year, the center back has revitalized his season with several reliable performances, taking on a leadership position in Chelsea’s youthful defensive setup. Much of the credit can be attributed to new manager Enzo Maresca for his crucial role in this transformation of Colwill. The ability has always existed, and now he is finally delivering on it. This weekend, Chelsea will encounter a Fulham team, who albeit good, sometimes struggle to score, and therefore Colwill will be anticipated to secure a clean sheet.
Also Read: FPL Price Changes – rises, falls and most transfers in/out for GW 16
4. Dean Huijsen – Bournemouth | 40 points | £4.3m
This spot was a toss-up between Dean Huijsen and fellow Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez but it is going to be the centre back this weekend. Only 19, Huijsen had made quite the impression in the Premier League. Developed by Juventus and let go for some reason despite impressing at Roma last season, he has developed quite the penchant for headers from set pieces, leading to goals against Spurs and Manchester United. Bournemouth’s form have seen them rise to 5th and another potentially rewarding week awaits as they face goal-shy Crystal Palace.
3. Gabriel – Arsenal | 73 points | £6.3m
Gabriel was for the longest time one of the more popular options when it came to defenders in Fantasy Premier League this season. However, an injury meant that he was transferred out of a lot of teams. But now that he is back, he should return to those teams as well practically. Arsenal are arguably the best defence in the Premier League but that is not even why Gabriel is appealing. There is no better header of a set piece in that league than him and that is why he is such a prized asset. Given Arsenal’s propensity of scoring from corners, Gabriel could well be on the scoresheet versus Ipswich this weekend.
2. William Saliba – Arsenal | 63 points | £6.3m
William Saliba can be confidently stated as the leading defensive asset in Fantasy Premier League. Arsenal boasts a robust defensive lineup, and interestingly, a significant number of their goals come from set pieces. This weekend, they will face a struggling Ipswich team that has yet to find its feet in the Premier League. Saliba has netted 2 goals in the Premier League so far this season, rising to the occasion in light of Arsenal’s frequently injury-prone backline. Given the difficulties opponents have faced when defending against Arsenal’s corners, Saliba is indispensable in Fantasy Premier League. Furthermore, he is also regarded as one of the best in terms of pure defensive ability in the league.
1. Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool | 66 points | £7.1m
Trent Alexander-Arnold is probably going to appear on this list for every gameweek, and that’s due to him being one of the best Fantasy Premier League assets of all time. When it comes to defenders, he is considered among the most valuable both in terms of cost and in the points he has accumulated. Last weekend, he delivered a masterclass against Tottenham Hotspur and in the game, provided only his 4th assist of the season. Nevertheless, he has performed exceptionally in actual matches and his underlying statistics appear quite favorable, particularly in offense. The points could potentially come again this weekend against Leicester City, as Liverpool aims to maintain their excellent run this season and remain at the top of the standings.
As we turn our attention to Gameweek 18, the Premier League has a thrilling set of fixtures lined up. The highlight of the weekend is the game between Manchester City and Everton. Manchester City have been struggling immensely and any win at the moment looks difficult to come by. Everton on the other hand have been difficult to score against but also difficult to score.
The deadline for GW18 is on December 26th.
Also Read: Best Midfielders to pick for Fantasy Premier League GW17