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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

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

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.