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It was eight weeks ago when Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause for the team's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, while the positive results have stacked up.

According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have just won 10 in a row, they appear curiously susceptible – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired in London, and again against Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United had more shots and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge they will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.