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A mere two months ago that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery berated him for missing a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of the side's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding this season, even as the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear strangely fragile – yet at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against United.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent they have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.