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It was eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a symptom or the source of the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star curled home his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their talisman to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a superb shot, curled right inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one 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. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more efforts and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the potential of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.