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Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

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 enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

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

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.