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A mere eight weeks in the past when the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over not reading a through-ball. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or a cause for the team's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. After Rogers swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has just won 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – but at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it happened in London, and once more against United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the player he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.