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Just eight weeks ago when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the source of the team's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

On Sunday, though, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international swept in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, even as the victories have piled up.

As per the data, twice all season has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing United.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the upright 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 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger could transform into the force he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.