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Just 60 days prior when Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or a cause 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 manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. After the England international drilled in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six matches, now sit only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard query to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club which has put together 10 in a row, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more versus United.

His opener came from a superb shot, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents had more shots and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.