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With six wins out of six, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

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

"They might but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we regard him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.