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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

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

"They can but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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 impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

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

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

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

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.