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It was 60 days in the past when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. After the England international swept in his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

This is a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened against United.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.