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With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-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 - cannot play in the identical lineup.

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

"It's possible but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas 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 games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.