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It was two months in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. When the in-form star curled home his second to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six games, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

This is a rather hard query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, Villa look strangely fragile – however currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their star man to save the day with two precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened against United.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.