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Just two months in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his displays were a symptom or the reason for the side's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side who have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and once more when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.