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Having secured six victories in six games, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-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 - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, 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 changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder 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 specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he plays almost like 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.