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Just eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the side's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When the England international curled home his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery discarded his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard proposition to answer. History, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, even as the victories have piled up.

Per Opta, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have put together 10 in a row, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more shots and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the ball into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.