STEVEN Taylor has urged his fellow defenders to continue their improvement in Frankfurt tomorrow night, and claimed it is time for Newcastle's reputation for defensive disaster to be put to bed.

The Magpies travel to Germany this morning safe in the knowledge that qualification for the last 32 of the UEFA Cup has already been secured, and buoyed by a defensive record that is the envy of Europe.

Glenn Roeder's side have conceded just three goals in their nine European matches this season while, domestically, a tally of just three goals conceded in the last six Premiership games tells a similarly parsimonious story.

In the past, Newcastle have been saddled with a reputation for defensive dithering. This season, however, the sloppiness has been replaced with solidity.

"I think we are getting it right," said Taylor, who has played in all three of his side's UEFA Cup group stage successes. "We are defending collectively a lot better.

"We are letting in fewer goals and we are bonding as a team. It has taken time, but I feel we are getting there.

"It will be tough going over to Frankfurt, but we are already through so that will help us a bit."

There is still an incentive to succeed as Newcastle travel to the Waldstadion, the stadium that housed England's opening World Cup game against Paraguay this summer.

While the eventual group winners will face a side that finished third in another UEFA Cup group, the team that finishes second in Group H will take on a team that drops out of the Champions League next month.

Given that the list of possible drop-outs includes Barcelona, Benfica and CSKA Moscow, it is safe to assume Roeder will be doing all he can to attain the point needed to be guaranteed top spot.

"We'll be going for a win," said Taylor, who scored his first Newcastle goal in last week's 2-1 win over Celta Vigo. "You cannot go on to a pitch thinking anything other than that and we know three points means we end up top.

"It has been a fantastic experienced in Europe and the fact that we are already through with a game in hand is a great achievement.

"But we are not satisfied with simply getting into the last 32 - we want to go on and win it."

In many ways, the UEFA Cup has been a Godsend to Newcastle this season, with the club's continental successes deflecting attention away from a Premiership campaign that had been verging on the disastrous before this month's 1-1 draw with Arsenal was followed by a much-needed win over Portsmouth.

The downside has been the fixture congestion and, with neither Scott Parker nor Kieron Dyer travelling to Germany, Roeder will have to mix and match. Parker has strained a muscle in his back, while Dyer was forced to spend Sunday night in hospital after lacerating his leg in the win over Pompey.

But while the injuries continue to mount - 13 senior players were receiving treatment yesterday - Taylor insists the UEFA Cup has been beneficial.

"Playing in Europe has been a great boost," he explained. "I feel like it's allowed us to iron out a few problems.

"It has allowed us to carry on playing in meaningful matches and to correct the mistakes we have made.

"It has been brilliant. Whether the manager thinks so with the number of games we have played I don't know, but I think we have got into the winning habit because of the UEFA Cup and that can only help."

l Goalkeeper Steve Harper is already in Germany as he prepares to have a hernia operation.

Harper is expected to be out of action until the start of the New Year.

"We would like to have waited until after Thursday to have his operation," said Roeder.

"But he has a double hernia and the medical experts have advised us that he should have his operation as soon as possible.''

Teenage keeper Fraser Forster will be on the bench tomorrow.