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It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery scolded him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a sign or a cause for the team's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have stacked up.

According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more efforts and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

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

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.