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With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, 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.

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

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.