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A mere 60 days ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of the side's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six games, now sit only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have accumulated.

Per the data, in only two games have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have strung together 10 in a row, Villa appear curiously susceptible – however currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus United.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.