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A mere two months in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or the reason of the side's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, now sit just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side which has just won 10 in a row, Villa look strangely fragile – yet at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus United.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the young forward now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.