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A mere two months ago that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or the source of Villa's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six games, are somehow just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

According to Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition had more efforts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge they will encounter in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the player he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.