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A mere eight weeks ago when Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause for Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. As Rogers curled home his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

It remains a rather hard proposition to address. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have accumulated.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side posted an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with some precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents registered more efforts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.