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A mere 60 days ago when Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were a sign or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six matches, are somehow only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look curiously susceptible – yet right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their talisman to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again when facing United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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. Against United, the opponents registered more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger could transform into the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital England player.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.