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Just two months prior that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the sideline response was far more favourable. When the in-form star drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, now sit a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.

According to statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear curiously susceptible – but currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.