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It was two months ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or the reason of the side's wider issues.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

This weekend, however, the sideline response was far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough query to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

According to Opta, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for Rogers to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.