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A mere eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as his coach admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

It remains a rather hard question to address. History, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their talisman to bail them out with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, arced right inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Can It Last?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the performer he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the hero stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.