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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated 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.

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

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 matches the three have featured together, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders 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 vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a central midfielder," 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 number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.