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It was 60 days prior when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his performances were an indicator or the source of the side's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard query to answer. History, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team posted an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a side who have strung together 10 in a row, Villa look strangely fragile – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with two crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like a vital England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the North End after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.