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It was two months ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win any of their first six matches, now sit a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard question to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club which has just won ten consecutive victories, they look curiously susceptible – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their talisman to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United managed more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.