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Just 60 days ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per the data, twice all season has the side posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized 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.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot keep on blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the player he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.