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A mere eight weeks prior that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side'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, though, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have piled up.

According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a side who have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping Rogers to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a superb shot, curled right inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica 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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.