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A mere two months prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery berated him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or the source of the team's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the sideline response was far more favourable. After Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six games, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard proposition to answer. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a club which has put together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping Rogers to bail them out with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“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. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital England player.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.