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It was two months ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach admonished him for missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his displays were an indicator or the source of the team's wider issues.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, however, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. As the England international curled home his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough question to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding during this run, while the positive results have stacked up.

Per Opta, in only two games has the team registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more against United.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, will not continue to thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he resembled in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers now would be leading a title charge and appearing as a crucial England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.