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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager scolded him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or the reason of Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, Emery discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

His opener originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger may rediscover the force he showed during his peak.
• The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.