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With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we established and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have won 10, drawn three and lost three, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation 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 forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

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

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.