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A mere eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his performances were a symptom or the source of Villa's broader struggles.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international swept in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“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. During the latest victory, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival they must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.