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Just two months prior that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were a sign or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge they have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.