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It was 60 days prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or a cause of the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. When the England international swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the wins have piled up.

According to the data, in only two games has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – yet right now the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it happened in London, and again against Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

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

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.