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It was eight weeks in the past that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of the team's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When the England international curled home his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six matches, now sit a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have strung together 10 in a row, they look curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their talisman to save the day with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again against United.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more shots and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.