The Newcastle United midfielder was a substitute for the recent draw with Liverpool.
Many Newcastle United fans got what they wanted on Sunday when Magpies manager Rafa Benitez opted to drop Isaac Hayden and partner Mikel Merino and Jonjo Shelvey in the centre of the park.
While it was a risk removing Hayden’s defensive nous against a Liverpool side famed for their attacking talent, it paid off, with the duo excelling and Newcastle securing a 1-1 draw. So what does that mean for Hayden’s chances in the coming months?
After all, while the 22-year-old came off the bench for the last 16 minutes of the fixture, it is hard to see him replacing either the returning Shelvey or the majestic Merino in Newcastle’s starting XI.
As a result, Hayden could be facing a prolonged run on the bench, coming on when matches need closing out rather than tasked with kicking them off.
Some Magpies supporters thought that a midfield trio would allow Shelvey to start without losing the solidity of Hayden’s play. However the simple fact is the latter has under-performed in recent weeks and he deserves to be dropped until his form is closer to that required of a side fighting for every point in the top flight.
Merino has been sensational for Newcastle this season and, while he has his critics, Shelvey is too important to overlook. That leaves Hayden as the potential odd one out, although Benitez now has two weeks to think things through before the club’s next match.
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