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A mere 60 days ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him for missing a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the source for the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six games, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough query to address. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have piled up.

Per Opta, in only two games has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team who have strung together 10 in a row, they appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality in which, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.