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It was two months prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six games, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa must confront in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.