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A mere 60 days ago that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him for missing a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. After the England international swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, while the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they look curiously susceptible – but currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their star man to bail them out with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still find their top level.

• The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.