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It was eight weeks in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause for the team's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they seem strangely fragile – yet currently the fine lines 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 two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing United.

His opener originated from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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. In the recent win, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.