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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or a cause 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. When the England international swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, even as the wins have accumulated.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club which has just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced 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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the performer he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.