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A mere 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were an indicator or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When the in-form star drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.

Per Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a side which has just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their star man to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired in London, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener came from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.