If Isaac Hayden required proof of the benefits of “Rafaology” he received it after rejoining the England Under-21 squad during the international break. “The England staff have really picked up on the change in me,” reports the Newcastle United midfielder. “They say that, compared to last season, my ‘game understanding’ is massively different. They say it’s obvious it’s down to Rafa’s tutelage.”

Rafael Benítez’s transformative impact in the north-east can hardly be overstated and his Championship topping side will arrive at promotion rivals Leeds United on Sunday seeking to an extend an eight-game winning run. Hayden attributes much of Newcastle’s success to their manager’s alliance of a forensic eye for detail, an assured grasp of broader strategy and excellent communication skills.

“The England coaches want you to come up with ideas about how we’re going to beat varying types of opponents,” explains the 21-year-old Arsenal academy graduate, who spent last season on loan at Hull City. “They seemed really pleased with me this time, they said: ‘You’re coming up with different ideas from everyone else.’ Again, that’s down to working with Rafa. He loves his little details and they transfer to us players.”

The cult of the manager can sometimes be overplayed but it is no exaggeration to say that, at St James’ Park, the Benítez effect has been extraordinary. Indeed after simultaneously “taming” Mike Ashley, Newcastle’s maverick owner, bonding the club with its previously disillusioned fans and revitalising a squad which had looked lost as it tumbled out of the Premier League last season, it would be no surprise were the Spaniard to be spotted walking on the Tyne.

Although undoubtedly a consummate politician who, crucially, commands the respect from both boardroom and dressing room which Steve McClaren, his predecessor, lacked, the manager has surprised many people with his consistent warmth.

“You might think a manager of his calibre might not be like that – some high-level managers and even some top players can be quite distant – but the gaffer’s warm,” says Hayden with the thoughtful intelligence which distinguishes his tactically articulate game. “Rafa’s so easy to talk to, you can speak to him about anything and he’s the same with everybody: players, support staff, fans. It doesn’t matter who you are, he’s as friendly as anything and that’s really helped the lads.

“He’s reconnected this club to the fans and the city and united it. There’s no unrest anywhere. The manager, players, staff, owner and supporters are all pulling in the right direction and, at the minute, that’s having a massive impact on our football. Everyone’s united and it shows on the pitch.”

Arsène Wenger has imbued Arsenal with similar dignity and class but Hayden, who parted with the Frenchman on excellent terms and admires him immensely, feels the pair could not be more different. “They’re polar opposites,” he says. “Two totally different people. Arsène doesn’t really say much, when he’s at training he just watches and you might hear his voice three or four times a session. Max. He sees absolutely everything, though, every mistake you make.

“The gaffer here is much more hands on. He talks us through sessions and helps us out. I prefer that style of management. It gets the best out of me; I know exactly how he’s feeling about me and what he wants me to improve on.”

Hayden fully buys into Benítez’s love of squad rotation – something which proved controversial in his early days at Liverpool before winning the Champions League. “The big difference between being here and at Hull last season is that no one’s certain to play any game under this manager. Everyone’s on their toes, there’s a lot of competition for places, everybody’s fresh, working hard in training and doing the right things and, touch wood, we haven’t had many injuries.”

Last season Hull started strongly, with the side under Steve Bruce looking near certainties for automatic promotion before suffering an alarming February wobble and going up via the play-offs. “The difference was that Steve essentially utilised the same players all the time and it got to February and March and then the lads who’d played Saturday-Tuesday all season hit a brick wall,” says Hayden. “They were knackered.”

Meanwhile the understudies were losing heart. “In October and November Steve played the same starting eleven nine games in a row. It got to the point where some players didn’t even bother bringing their wash bags any more – you knew you weren’t going to get a game.”

Even so he enjoyed working with Bruce, now Aston Villa manager, who helped him grow up. “Steve’s easy to talk to. You could knock on his door and chat to him,” he says. “But he had a lot more of an old school mentality and was very demanding.

“Hull’s training was vigorous. It wasn’t uncontrolled but it was very intense, less controlled than here or Arsenal. We had lots of double sessions, lots of gym work and running. It was my transition to the real adult professional game and it taught me the importance of a hard-working mentality.”

On top of that are the benefits of harmony. “Steve was very good at setting us up to deal with different opponents but it didn’t help that Hull’s owners wanted to sell and the fans didn’t like the owners and would show their disgruntlement,” says Hayden. “That filtered through to the manager and on to the players. At times it wasn’t the nicest feeling. In April, when we played Brentford at home and were still in with a chance of finishing second, only 15,000 turned up and they were waving placards and shouting ‘Allams out’.”

With the days of anti-Ashley and anti-Alan Pardew protests a receding memory, Newcastle is very different. “We get more than 50,000 every home game,” says Hayden. “It helps that we’ve got the biggest crowds in the Championship, the best atmosphere and the best fans. They’re so loud some of our away games feel like home matches.”

Elland Road is a 38,000 sell-out on Sunday. “It’s a hostile ground, not the nicest place to go,” he acknowledges. “But I don’t think it’ll be a problem for us.”