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This surely should not go on. The logic defies rational sense that it persists. And yet, it does.

A Historic Victory Against the Odds

The Claret and Blue army arrived at the weekend's top-flight clash at Chelsea aiming for a historic record of eleven consecutive wins, a feat last achieved in 1897 and 1914. For the opening hour, this feat seemed improbable, as Chelsea dominated proceedings, secured the lead, and could have added several more. However, Chelsea are frailty when ahead, especially at home, while Villa now possess a baffling knack of securing away victories from losing positions.

First, the striker equalised, the ball cannoning in off his leg and the post after his initial shot was blocked by Robert Sánchez. Later on, he nodded in the winner with a deft header. This marked just his fourth and fifth league goals of the campaign. The forward might believe some fortune was due, and there's no question the first goal involved a large slice of luck. Currently, however, Lady Luck is favoring Villa.

The Numbers Behind an Unlikely Streak

The last nine of these eleven straight wins have been by a single goal. They have kept a clean sheet in only one of those matches. Their underlying metrics have been better in just six of those fixtures, and in a couple of those, the advantage was 0.2 or less. Their last five away Premier League victories have all come after conceding first. This pattern seems unsustainable, yet pundits have been saying that for weeks, and Villa keep on winning. The central question is whether their outcomes will eventually align with their displays or if their performances can rise to justify the points haul.

This should not be sustainable, but everyone has been stating that for a while and Villa keep on winning.

A Defining Characteristic: Resilience

Fighting back is not merely a feature of this season. Over the past three seasons, no team has won more points when trailing than Villa's 54; Eighteen of those were secured this term, fifty percent more than the next best team, Sunderland. This season, Villa substitutes have scored nine goals. Two key points can be made about Villa under Unai Emery.

• First, they possess a deep-rooted confidence that means no game ever feels beyond them. This is, to an extent, a virtuous cycle: the more they achieve comebacks, the more they believe they can do it once more.
• Secondly, Emery has proven very adept at changing games through his substitutions.

A Masterful Change

While Chelsea won the expected goals 2.1-1.4, Villa became dominant from the moment, around the hour mark, when Emery made a triple substitution. Watkins replaced Donyell Malen, who had found it difficult with few chances. Suddenly, the ball began to stick, and Watkins's runs behind the defensive line created issues. Amadou Onana and Sancho also came on, bolstering the center and providing the flank presence they had eschewed earlier.

The Blues registered ten attempts to Villa's none before the substitutions; following them, Villa had eleven opportunities to Chelsea's four. By the final whistle, Villa were in control and could have won more comfortably. Once again, Chelsea boss Maresca seemed unable to react as the game slipped away; the sense remains that he is better at devising a tactical plan with preparation time than adapting in the moment.

Moment of Magic

Villa have cultivated a welcome habit of players producing moments of match-winning quality to turn games. Rogers has been decisive at Leeds, West Ham, and against Manchester United. The image of him working the ball onto his favored foot and whipping a finish into the top corner has become a recurring theme. It was Malen who transformed the game from the bench at Leeds. Watkins changed the game at Stamford Bridge. The contributions of players such as Konsa and Viktor Lindelof on Saturday were key. At present, it's seldom the entire team playing flawlessly, but enough individuals within it delivering to earn the victories.

What Comes Next?

Will they be able to maintain this run? They now sit three points behind the league leaders, and as the season approaches its midway point, they must be viewed as in the championship conversation, certainly more so than club world champions Chelsea or reigning title holders Liverpool. The upcoming away game at Arsenal will be a significant examination of that status. Villa beat Arsenal earlier this month, a match in which they not only won the xG but registered an xG forty percent higher than any other side has managed against Arsenal in the league this term.

The Gunners have assembled their own run of single-goal victories, winning three in a row without ever being entirely convincing. Tuesday will be a challenge for both sides – and if Villa win a twelfth game in a row, it would become increasingly difficult to dismiss their championship pedigree.