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A mere two months in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source for 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 in-form star swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, the boss tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

That’s a rather hard question to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have stacked up.

Per the data, in only two games have Villa had an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team that have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.