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It was two months ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over not reading a through-ball. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or the reason of the side'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, though, the sideline response was much more joyous. When the England international swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.

Per the data, in only two games have Villa registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against United.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the force he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.