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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played together, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers 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 discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.