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Just 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as Unai Emery scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason for Villa's broader struggles.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

This is a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

According to the data, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club that have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their talisman to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

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

Can It Last?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, will not continue to drilling the football into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.