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A mere two months in the past when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard proposition to address. History, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side which has put together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their talisman to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent they have to face in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like an essential England player.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.