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Just two months in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his performances were a symptom or a cause of the team'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 touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season has the team had an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.

His opener came from a superb shot, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled during his peak.
• The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.

This could contain the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.