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A mere 60 days ago that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the sideline response was much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.

According to statistical analysis, twice all season has the team posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans look curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent they have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the ball into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.