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A mere two months in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or the reason for the team's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have stacked up.

According to the data, in only two games has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has just won a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

Can It Last?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.