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It was eight weeks prior when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a sign or the source of Villa's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping Rogers to save the day with two crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced 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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it appears so improbable. As Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.