NEWCASTLE United's Steven Taylor aims to give Graeme Souness an added £13m selection headache.

With some of his best players on the comeback trail, the Magpies boss faces selection dilemmas in both midfield and attack, but his much-maligned defence is also now causing problems of the right sort.

With Jean-Alain Boumsong expected to return for the visit to Chelsea on November 19 and Craig Moore pushing for a first start, Souness could have four centre-backs at his disposal.

Despite Boumsong and Titus Bramble costing a combined fee of £13m, the man in pole position is 19-year-old Taylor, who arrived for nothing as a trainee.

But the versatile defender is just happy to be playing anywhere in Souness' back four, and is well aware he faces a fight for his first-team shirt.

"I'm happy to be in the side and from a personal point of view I'm just glad the manager is picking me at the moment," said Taylor, who will be on duty with England Under 21s for their crucial play-off with France at White Hart Lane on Friday night.

"I know there's been injuries and I know Titus is back and Craig Moore and Boumsong will be battling for places but it's up to me to keep my place.

"Hopefully I've given the manager a problem but I respect his decision. I always will respect that because he's been absolutely fantastic with me.

"He was the one who gave me my debut at St James' Park in front of 52,000 people and I have so much respect for him.

"I want to be a first choice defender one day. That may be in a few years time but all I want is to have my regular game. That's my only real target at the moment - to stay in the side."

With Taylor in such commanding form at the heart of a defence that boasts six clean sheets in their last eight games, Souness is expected to select between France international Boumsong and Bramble for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Taylor admits the players have worked on defending as a unit on the training ground to minimise the errors that have proved costly in the past, and the results are there for all to see.

"We've worked a hell of a lot on defending in training. We've worked on our shape defensively and we're looking more resilient," said Taylor.

"We're making a lot less mistakes at the back and that's what we need.

"We're defending as a unit - there's always someone covering, we're always covering for each other and it does help.

"Another factor is we've got players who are coming back from injury and you know you have to perform - you know if you don't perform you're out of the side.

"In my position we've got top quality players who are in front of me at the moment. I'm just lucky to be in the side and I'm happy to be in the side.

"Craig Moore's coming back soon, Jean-Alain Boumsong will be fit for the Chelsea game in two weeks. It's good competition and I think it will make me better."

* Albert Luque will miss the Magpies' warm weather training camp in Spain - a squad of 14 head to Marbella today - with the £9.5m man working hard back on Tyneside to be fit for the trip to the Premiership champions in 11 days time.

"The manager wants me to have a hard week training in Newcastle so I'm ready to join in with the team when they get back," said the former Deportivo player, who tore his hamstring in only his second appearance for the Magpies against Fulham.

"The main thing is to get back to full fitness and my target has always been the Chelsea game," said Luque, speaking on the club's official website, nufc.co.uk.