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A mere eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or the source of the team's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six games, are somehow a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.

As per the data, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team that have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents registered more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.