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It was two months in the past when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason for the team's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard proposition to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – yet right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to rescue them with two precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more when facing United.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the force he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential England player.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.