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It was two months ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason for the team's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. After the England international drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, twice all season have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again against United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a vital player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.