Arsenal's entire squad withdraws from national teams due to injuries, fans suspect it's a strategy for the title race.

In the context of the Premier League title race reaching its critical stage, Arsenal suddenly witnesses a series of players pulling out of national team duty citing injuries. This leads supporters to wonder: is this just a coincidence, or a deliberate "tactic" to conserve energy for the sprint finish?

Martin Zubimendi is the latest Arsenal player to withdraw from his national team this week due to injury. The Spanish midfielder played in Spain's 3-0 win over Serbia on Friday, replacing Rodri for the final 13 minutes at Estadio de la Ceramica.

However, the 27-year-old subsequently had to withdraw from coach Luis de la Fuente's squad and will miss Tuesday's match against Egypt.

A statement from the Spanish national team said: "Martin Zubimendi has left the national team camp due to discomfort in his right knee. To avoid any risks and protect the player's health, he has been removed from the list. Arsenal's medical department has been informed."

Zubimendi becomes the 11th Arsenal player to withdraw from national team duty ahead of the crucial season phase.

Earlier, defender Piero Hincapie also withdrew from the Ecuador squad after playing 72 minutes against Morocco. Although no specific injury was announced, the 24-year-old has returned to his club for treatment.

Captain Martin Odegaard was the first to withdraw from the March camp due to knee issues. His last match was on February 22, when he came off the bench in the 4-1 win over Tottenham.

Other key players including William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Leandro Trossard, and Jurrien Timber have also withdrawn from their national teams. Arsenal's announcement stated: "The four players will remain at the club during the international break to continue their treatment."

Additionally, four English players have withdrawn from coach Thomas Tuchel's camp: Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Noni Madueke.

The simultaneous withdrawal of numerous Arsenal players from national teams has sparked widespread debate online. One fan wrote on social media: "It's quite coincidental that almost the entire Arsenal squad is injured just as the title race heats up." Another commented: "You can't blame Arsenal. They are facing their first Premier League title chance in years." "Then, by some miracle, they all play next weekend," wrote another supporter. "Focusing on the triple crown here," remarked another account.

According to the schedule, Arsenal will face Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final on April 4, before meeting Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 7 in Portugal. On April 11, Arsenal clash with Bournemouth in the Premier League and then host Sporting Lisbon four days later for the second leg. After that, Arsenal will enter a potentially title-deciding match against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on April 19. April concludes with Arsenal hosting Newcastle on April 25.

Currently, Arsenal lead Man City by 9 points, although Pep Guardiola's team still has one match pending.