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It was two months ago that Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. After Rogers curled home his second to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard proposition to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have stacked up.

Per Opta, twice all season has the team posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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. Against United, Manchester United managed more shots and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.