The Astonishing Scoring Streak Propels The Villans' Surprising Title Charge

Just two months ago when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were a sign or the source of Villa's broader struggles.

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. As Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side who have just won 10 in a row, Villa look curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener came from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the upright from a wide position. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the football into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital England player.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.