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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

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 stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

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

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider 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 central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.