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Just 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

“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 proved to be decidedly more positive. After the England international curled home his second to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. History, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, while the positive results have piled up.

According to the data, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a side who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival Villa have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger may rediscover the force he showed during his peak.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.