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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

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

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wide areas 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 last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, 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 excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.