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A mere eight weeks in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were a sign or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard question to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team that have just won a ten-match winning streak, they look strangely fragile – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with two crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the ball into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The winger could transform into the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.