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It was two months prior that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him for missing a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether his performances were a sign or the reason for Villa'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 manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

That’s a rather hard query to address. History, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding during this run, even as the wins have stacked up.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the player he resembled in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.