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It was two months prior that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

In the latest match, however, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

This is a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing United.

His opener came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced 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?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge they must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.