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It was two months prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the reason of Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , having failed to win any of their first six matches, now sit only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard proposition to address. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their talisman to save the day with some crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more efforts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.