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A mere two months ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or the source for the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. History, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have piled up.

Per the data, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side who have just won 10 in a row, Villa look strangely fragile – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against United.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still find their top level.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.