You can't blame players for having the World Cup on their minds this weekend

Who doesn't love a little conspiracy theory?

I am not talking about the big ones. The flat earthers, the Covid deniers and the Bill Gates microchip in vaccine believers, but less harmful plotters and schemers.

The "this will end in a draw as it suits both clubs" brigade - and yes I am looking at you Italy, Denmark and Sweden - the Northampton supporters still angry at just how many goals Scunthorpe shipped during Bristol Rovers miracle goal difference overhaul on the final day of last season, and the old classic of players being sent off just before Christmas to avoid playing over the festive period.

Well Christmas could come early this weekend, in the Premier League at least, as a number of players heading off to the World Cup are also on the brink of a one-game suspension which would enable them to enjoy a breather before the biggest tournament on the planet.

Sergio Ramos was once given an extra one-game ban for deliberately picking up a yellow card in a Champions League match so we know certain players are aware of situations and who could blame them for protecting themselves given what happened in midweek?

Timo Werner's World Cup dream died, Ben Chilwell is likely to be checking in at Heartbreak Hotel rather than a five-star complex in Qatar, and even if Heung-Min Son is available for South Korea he will have to play in a protective mask following his eye fracture.

Meanwhile it was revealed that Son's teammate Cristian Romero is sidelined for around ten days - just long enough for him to miss the rest of the first half of the club season but be in peak condition for the World Cup at the same time as Argentina reportedly asked Premier League clubs to rest their players - while his international pals Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes are also sitting out Juventus matches with minor knocks.

Romelu Lukaku had to stop training this week, although the Belgium team doctor was confident he'd be back for the World Cup, and Gareth Bale has barely been seen at LAFC despite their coach Steve Cherundolo insisting the "roster was full".

La Liga saw sense and scrap pednext weekend's matches, and let's, at the very least, assume that few players heading to the World Cup will want to play in the midweek Carabao Cup ties coming up.

However, Serie A chucked in a full midweek fixture list as well as playing next weekend - hopefully not out of spite because Italy missed out on the World Cup. If we can't play why should you...?

It's absolutely ridiculous that even a tiny injury now will ruin a possible once-in-a-lifetime ambition of playing at a World Cup. Can you blame Bale for being cautious? He knows he won't be around even if Wales qualify for the next finals in 2026.

All that is left for me to do is deliver a public service announcement for those World Cup-bound Premier League players who would miss next weekend's final round of top-flight fixtures should they pick up a fifth booking of the campaign this weekend.

They are Gabriel Jesus (16-5 to be booked), William Salbia (9-2), Chris Mepham (16-5), Alexis Mac Allister (5-1), Amadou Onana (2-1), Aleksandar Mitrovic (13-5), Diogo Dalot (10-3), Fabian Schar (10-3), Rodrigo Bentancur (12-5), Harry Kane (6-1) and Thilo Kehrer (5-1).

So there you have it. The biggest price of the lot is the England captain at 6-1. Kane wouldn't want to miss Leeds at home next week would he? Of course not.

We will leave the bets until the World Cup, where I have already lined-up the matchday three possibly mutually-beneficial draw between Poland and Argentina as a time to get busy.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A 65" TV

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport