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Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed simultaneously, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

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

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could operate 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 coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, 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 advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.