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Just two months ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. As Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

Per Opta, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened versus United.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.