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Just 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or a cause of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough question to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, even as the wins have piled up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized 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?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge they will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he resembled in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.