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A mere 60 days in the past that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or a cause for the team's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

This is a rather hard proposition to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant this season, even as the victories have accumulated.

Per Opta, in only two games has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with two crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more against United.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“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. In the recent win, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent they must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.