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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion 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 keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 games the trio have played simultaneously, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we view 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 advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

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