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It was two months prior when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

This is a particularly tough proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, even as the wins have piled up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side who have strung together 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more versus United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential England player.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.