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It was eight weeks in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him for missing a through-ball. Back then, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or a cause for Villa's wider issues.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, though, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have piled up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side who have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa look strangely fragile – yet currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner faced the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.