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It was 60 days prior that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of Villa's broader struggles.

“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 Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six games, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the wins have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their talisman to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration 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?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still find their top level.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital England player.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.