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It was two months in the past when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while Unai Emery berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a sign or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. As the England international curled home his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem strangely fragile – but currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the upright from a wide position. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent the club must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.