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A mere two months in the past that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a sign or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As the England international curled home his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, while the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa look strangely fragile – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he showed during his peak.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.