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It was eight weeks ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his displays were a sign or the source of the team's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have just won ten consecutive victories, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought the young forward now would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.