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It was eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason for the team's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team continued to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the positive results have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the side posted an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a team who have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look strangely fragile – but at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The main striker might resume scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would be third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.