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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They might but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options 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 fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars 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 one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.