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A mere 60 days prior when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him over missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a symptom or a cause for the team's broader struggles.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, though, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. After the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six games, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

It remains a rather hard query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the team had an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem curiously susceptible – however currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the force he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.