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A mere eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as his coach scolded him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause for the side's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, however, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, arced right inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent they have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.