Morgan Rogers' Scoring Streak Drives Villa's Unlikely Title Charge

It was eight weeks ago when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while Unai Emery scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a symptom or the source for Villa's wider issues.

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the in-form star curled home his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, while the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side which has put together a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents registered more shots and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The winger might become the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.