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Just two months ago when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for Villa's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. As Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, now sit just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard proposition to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have accumulated.

Per the data, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team who have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping Rogers to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

His opener came from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker might resume scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.