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A mere 60 days prior when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or a cause for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six games, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

This is an exceptionally difficult question to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have stacked up.

As per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club which has put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to trade blows with an opponent before hoping Rogers to rescue them with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

His opener came 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 goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.