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It simply cannot go on. It makes no sense that it persists. Yet, persist it does.

A Record-Chasing Triumph Defying Expectations

Aston Villa entered the weekend's top-flight encounter at Chelsea looking to equal a historic record of 11 consecutive wins, a feat last achieved in 1897 and 1914. For the opening hour, achieving it seemed improbable, as Chelsea controlled proceedings, secured the lead, and could have added to their advantage. However, Chelsea have shown frailty when ahead, especially at home, while Villa have cultivated a remarkable habit of snatching away victories after falling behind.

First, Ollie Watkins leveled the scores, the ball ricocheting in off his leg and the post following his initial shot was saved by Robert Sánchez. Subsequently, he nodded in the winner with a deft header. This marked just his fourth and fifth league goals of the campaign. Watkins might believe some fortune was due, and there's no question the first goal had a significant element of good fortune. Currently, however, fortune is smiling on Villa.

The Numbers Behind an Unlikely Streak

The last nine of these eleven straight wins have been by a solitary goal. They have managed a clean sheet in just one of those games. Their underlying metrics have been better in just six of those encounters, and in a couple of those, the advantage was minimal. Their last five away Premier League victories have all come after conceding first. This pattern should not, but observers have been saying that for some time, and Villa continue winning. The central question is whether their results will finally match their displays or if their level of play can rise to justify the results.

This should not be possible, but everybody's been stating that for a while and Villa keep on winning.

A Core Characteristic: Belief

Coming from behind is not just a feature of the current campaign. Over the past 3 seasons, no side has gained more points from losing positions than Villa's fifty-four; Eighteen of those were secured this term, 50% more than the next best team, Sunderland. This season, Villa substitutes have contributed 9 goals. Two key points can be made about Villa under Unai Emery.

• Firstly, they possess a deep-rooted self-belief that means no game ever feels insurmountable. This is, to an extent, a virtuous cycle: the more they achieve comebacks, the more they are convinced they can do it again.
• Second, Emery has proven very adept at changing games through his substitutions.

A Masterful Change

While Chelsea had the better of the expected goals 2.1-1.4, Villa became the dominant force from the moment, just before the hour mark, when Emery executed a triple substitution. Ollie Watkins replaced Malen, who had struggled with few chances. Suddenly, the ball began to stick, and Watkins's movement in behind created issues. Onana and Jadon Sancho also entered, strengthening the midfield and adding the width they had lacked earlier.

Chelsea had ten attempts to Villa's zero before the changes; afterwards, Villa created eleven opportunities to Chelsea's four. By the final whistle, Villa were commanding and could easily have won by a greater margin. Not for the first time, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca struggled to respond as the game slipped away; the impression remains that he is better at devising a game plan with time to prepare than adapting in the moment.

Individual Brilliance

Villa have also developed a welcome habit of players producing moments of sensational quality to turn games. Morgan Rogers has scored crucial goals at Leeds, West Ham, and against Manchester United. The sight of him working the ball onto his favored foot and curling a finish home has become a recurring theme. It was the winger who transformed the game from the bench at Leeds. Watkins changed the game at Stamford Bridge. The performances of players such as Konsa and Viktor Lindelof on Saturday were key. At present, it's seldom the whole side playing flawlessly, but enough players within it delivering to secure the victories.

The Road Ahead

Can they keep going? They now sit three points behind the league leaders, and as the season nears its halfway stage, they have to be considered as part of the championship conversation, arguably more so than club world champions Chelsea or defending champions Liverpool. Tuesday's away game at Arsenal will be a major examination of that status. Villa defeated Arsenal on the first weekend of December, a match in which they not only won the xG but registered an xG 40% higher than any other side has achieved against Arsenal in the league this term.

Arsenal have assembled their own sequence of narrow victories, winning 3 in a row without ever being entirely convincing. Tuesday will be a challenge for both teams – and if Villa secure a 12th game in a row, it would become increasingly difficult to dismiss their title credentials.