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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

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

"It's possible 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 presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

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

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder 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 creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we consider him as a box-to-box player," 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 number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.