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Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license 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 expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.