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With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.