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A mere eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the reason of the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

It remains a rather hard proposition to address. History, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have piled up.

According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. When Rogers positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.