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Just 60 days prior when the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause of Villa'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 was entirely far more favourable. When the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough proposition to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.

According to the data, in only two games have Villa registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, arced right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy third at Christmas. 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 an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.