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It was 60 days prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager scolded him over missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. After Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six matches, are somehow only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a team that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on their star man to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like an essential Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.