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It was two months ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or the source for Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. When the England international curled home his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and having failed to win any of their first six games, find themselves just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

This is a rather hard proposition to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

As per the data, twice all season has the team posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans look curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled just inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.