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It was two months prior when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or a cause for the side's more general malaise.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

In the latest match, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the England international swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six matches, now sit just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough query to resolve. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their star man to rescue them with some precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

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

Can It Last?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.