Suspension helped Hayden look at things differently
um as he felt his passing abilitywouldbeimportantagainst WestHam,theRomford-born midfielder’s boyhood club, given manager Manuel Pellegrini’s preference for playing a high defensive line.
Asked about Longstaff ’s first-team breakthrough, Hayden said: “To be honest, it didn’t really surprise me. All the lads had seen him in training every day since preseason. It was kind of a similar situation to Sean last year. We always knew that he had the ability,itwasaboutgettingthe opportunity to show it.
“Matty, at 19 years of age, doing what he’s doing so far in the Premier League for Newcastle, the world is his oyster.”
Newcastle had gone into the West Ham game having scoredjustsixgoalsin900Premier League minutes.
And he build-up had been dominated by talk of Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron, who had scoredonegoalbetweenthem.
They did everything but score at the London Stadium, whereNewcastlenettedthree goalsinablistering51minutes.
Theyshouldhavebeenatleast 4-0 up at the break.
West Ham’s late comeback –thehomesidescoredtwolate goals–gavethescorelineaflattering look given the visitors’ dominance.
“Every three points in the PremierLeagueisimportant,” said Hayden, who is in talks over a new deal at the club.
“It was a bit disappointing the way that we ended the game, but I think the first half was scintillating. We could have been 5-0 up, I think. If we were being critical, we could have taken at least one of the chances. Still, to be 2-0 up is a good position, and to get the goal early in the second half to make it 3-0 was very good.
“It was a very nice cushion, but I always felt that they had to improve. It was disappointing to concede two goals.”
Hayden, 24, believes that goals will come for the club’s £77.5million front three, who lack Premier League experience. “The lads that are here now that have replaced the lads that have gone, and peoplehavetounderstandwehad (Salomon) Rondon last year, whowas30andhadhadalotof years in the Premier League,” said Hayden, signed from Arsenal three years ago and undercontractatStJames’sPark until 2021.
“We’d had (Ayoze) Perez, who had had a lot of years in the Premier League.
“We’re replacing those players with young players who have come from foreign countries.They’renotgoingto come here and do the same as those lads from the off. We’ve had to be a bit patient with them. You can see what Jo, big, strong, physical, is about. Allan, the same, and Miggy as well. You can see his work rate defensivelyandattacking.The front three will improve week on week the more games they play. The lads are very happy.”