This Remarkable Golden Spell Fuels Aston Villa's Improbable Championship Bid

Just eight weeks ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a symptom or a cause for the side's wider issues.

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, are somehow a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough proposition to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

According to statistical analysis, in only two games has the side registered an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a team which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however at the moment the margins are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to bail them out with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again when facing United.

His opener came from a superb shot, curled right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent they must confront as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists another reality whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

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

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.