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It was 60 days in the past that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while Unai Emery admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or a cause of the side's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. As Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have accumulated.

As per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

His opener came from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“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 had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the ball into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.