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Just two months ago that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six matches, are somehow only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

According to the data, twice all season have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.