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Just eight weeks in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were an indicator 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.”

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star drilled in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

It remains a rather hard query to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.

According to the data, in only two games have Villa registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won a ten-match winning streak, they look curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with some crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and again against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents managed more shots and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the player he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.