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It was 60 days prior when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of the side's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough question to resolve. History, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant this season, while the wins have stacked up.

According to Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again against United.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.