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Just two months ago when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as his coach admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a sign or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their star man to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more versus United.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. Rogers, surely, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists another reality where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.