This Remarkable Golden Spell Propels Villa's Improbable Title Charge

It was 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or a cause for the side's broader struggles.

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, while the wins have piled up.

According to statistical analysis, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans look strangely fragile – but at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents had a greater number of attempts 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 fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival the club have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner positioned himself before the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.