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It was 60 days prior when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him for missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. As the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Challengers?

That’s a rather hard query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a club which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with some clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced 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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United registered more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent they have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The winger may rediscover the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.