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A mere eight weeks prior that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were a sign or a cause for the side's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six matches, now sit just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

This is a rather hard question to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, while the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled right inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

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

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as a vital England player.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.