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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed 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 keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.