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Just 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a symptom 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.”

In the latest match, however, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. History, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a side which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their talisman to bail them out with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened versus United.

His opener originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents had more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival they will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.