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With six wins out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future 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 categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.