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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.