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A mere two months ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were a sign or a cause of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their opening six games, now sit a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard proposition to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the positive results have accumulated.

Per the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, Villa look curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed during his peak.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.