West Ham have gone ahead only to draw or lose on 11 occasions, ceding 25 points in the process, and Hayden says:
"I am just so glad we went there, did well, and held on to the lead; the gaffer said at half time how important it was because people have picked up how many points we have let go from being in the lead and we knew we had to do whatever it took to keep it.
"We are aware of it now and we won't let it happen again.
"I think the whole team did really well and it will be hard for the gaffer to move people out of their positions, but that is what having a good squad and there is a lot of competition for places.
"In the last week or two four new players have come in and that is good, but hopefully whoever he picks can go out and get a win.
"There is togetherness in the squad and there will be no sulking."
Hayden is likely to return to the midfield at the weekend and, looking at the Rotherham game, he says:
"I have played against them a couple of times; they are a big, hardworking side and as long as we match their work rate the quality should come through.
"It is nice to be getting full houses and knowing people are expecting us to be winning.
"But on the other hand they will enjoy the atmosphere as well, so we have to be aware of that.
"I definitely think we can do it; there are a lot of games to go.
Hayden enjoyed playing in defence - Alan Pardew said afterwards he had been West Ham's best player - and he reflects:
"It was good to play in the game and it was very enjoyable to win.
"If you are put in a position and you do well you have always got a chance of playing there the next game; but we have got a lot of defenders with two experienced ones to come back in Tomas and Andy Melville so I am sure they will be there at the weekend.
"I think in the first 10 minutes I was a bit lost but it takes time to adapt, I hadn't played there for a while and we did so well at the other end going forward there was little left for me to do with Christian at the back."
Hayden had to keep Kenny Miller quiet, a man who had previously scored against Manchester United and Liverpool consecutively, and he says:
"We knew that he was on a good run and how well they had been playing at home, but to be honest we were expecting a bit of a tougher game than that.
"They left a few players out but man for man I think we are a better side so it was a bad decision on their behalf.
"But the Premiership is probably their priority and staying in it is their be-all and end-all, so they felt they had to do it."