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It was eight weeks in the past that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the source of Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As Rogers curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win any of their first six matches, now sit just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard query to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club must confront as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.