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Having secured six victories from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured together, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we view him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.