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A mere two months ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were a sign or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard proposition to resolve. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, Villa look strangely fragile – yet at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more efforts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the player he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.