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

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

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

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas 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 one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.