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A mere 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were a symptom or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. When the in-form star drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of his first as he pounced 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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival Villa must confront in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent might become the player he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.