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It simply cannot go on. The logic defies sense that it persists. Yet, persist it does.

A Historic Victory Defying Expectations

The Claret and Blue army arrived at the weekend's top-flight clash at Chelsea aiming for a club record of 11 consecutive wins, matching runs set in 1897 and 1914. For much of the match, this feat seemed highly unlikely, as the hosts controlled proceedings, took the lead, and could have added to their advantage. However, Chelsea are vulnerability when ahead, especially at home, while Villa now possess a remarkable habit of snatching away victories from losing positions.

First, the striker leveled the scores, the ball ricocheting in off his leg and the post following his first effort was saved by Robert Sánchez. Subsequently, he nodded in the decisive goal with a precise header. This marked just his fourth and fifth league goals of the season. The forward might believe a bit of luck was due, and there's no question the first goal had a significant element of luck. At the moment, however, fortune is favoring Villa.

The Statistics Behind an Unlikely Run

Nine of these 11 straight wins have been by a solitary 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 from behind. This formula seems unsustainable, but pundits have been claiming that for some time, and Villa continue winning. The key question is whether their results will finally align with their displays or if their level of play can rise to justify the points haul.

This seems unsustainable be possible, but everyone has been saying that for a while and Villa keep on winning.

A Defining Trait: Belief

Fighting back is not just a trait of the current campaign. Over the past 3 seasons, no team has won more points when trailing than Villa's 54; 18 of those were secured this season, 50% more than the next best team, Sunderland. This season, Villa players from the bench have contributed nine goals. Two important points can be made about Villa under Unai Emery.

• First, they possess a profound self-belief that means no game ever feels insurmountable. This is, to an extent, self-perpetuating: the more they achieve comebacks, the more they believe they can do it again.
• Second, Emery has proven very skilled at influencing games through his use of the bench.

The Emery Effect

While Chelsea won the xG battle 2.1-1.4, Villa were the dominant force from the moment, just before the hour mark, when Emery made a triple change. Ollie Watkins replaced Malen, who had struggled with limited service. Immediately, the ball was held up better, and Watkins's runs behind the defensive line created issues. Amadou Onana and Jadon Sancho also came on, bolstering the center and adding the width they had eschewed earlier.

The Blues registered 10 shots to Villa's none before the changes; following them, Villa created eleven opportunities to Chelsea's four. By the final whistle, Villa were in control and could easily have won by a greater margin. Not for the first time, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca seemed unable to respond as the game turned against him; the sense remains that he is better at implementing a tactical plan with time to prepare than making adjustments on the fly.

Individual Brilliance

Villa have also developed a welcome habit of players producing moments of match-winning quality to turn games. Morgan Rogers has been decisive at Leeds, West Ham, and against Manchester United. The sight of him shifting the ball onto his right foot and whipping a finish home has become a recurring leitmotif. It was Malen who transformed the game after coming on at Leeds. Watkins changed the game at Stamford Bridge. The performances of players such as Ezri Konsa and Lindelof on Saturday were also vital. At present, it's not always the entire team playing flawlessly, but enough players within it delivering to secure the victories.

What Comes Next?

Can they keep going? They now sit three points behind Arsenal, and as the season approaches its halfway stage, they must be viewed as part of the championship conversation, certainly more so than teams like Chelsea or reigning title holders Liverpool. The upcoming away fixture at Arsenal will be a major test of that claim. Villa beat Arsenal earlier this month, a match in which they not only won the xG but posted an xG forty percent higher than any other side has achieved against Arsenal in the league this season.

The Gunners have assembled their own sequence of single-goal victories, winning 3 in a row without ever being wholly convincing. Tuesday will be a test for both sides – and if Villa win a twelfth game in a row, it would become almost impossible to dismiss their title credentials.