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A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After Rogers swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.