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It was two months in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have stacked up.

According to Opta, in only two games has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club which has put together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge they have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the young forward now would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.