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A mere two months ago when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source for the team's broader struggles.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.

According to the data, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again when facing United.

Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.