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Just 60 days ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a sign or the source of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As the England international drilled in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. Villa continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six matches, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard proposition to resolve. History, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the positive results have piled up.

According to the data, in only two games has the side registered an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against United.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United had more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge the club must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the player he showed during his peak.
• The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential player for the national team.

The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.