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Just 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the reason for Villa's broader struggles.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

This weekend, however, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their opening six matches, are somehow just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team that have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he was during his peak.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.