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A mere 60 days prior that Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether his performances were a sign or the reason of the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response was far more favourable. As the England international curled home his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the victories have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team that have put together 10 in a row, they look curiously susceptible – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, arced right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The winger could transform into the performer he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.