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A mere 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or the reason of the side's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six games, now sit only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

According to statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, they look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

His opener originated from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain thrashing the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

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

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential England player.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.