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Just 60 days prior when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were a sign or the source of Villa's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. History, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, even as the wins have stacked up.

According to Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for Rogers to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired in London, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge the club have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger could transform into the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner faced the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.