England's star trio can't play together - does the manager have a point?

With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

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

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not for the structure 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

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

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 primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"With his club, 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.