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A mere two months prior that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

It remains a rather hard proposition to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.

According to Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more versus United.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the force he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.