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It was two months prior that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or the reason of the side's broader struggles.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, twice all season has the team registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have just won 10 in a row, Villa appear curiously susceptible – yet currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers now would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.