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A mere two months prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to address. History, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the victories have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa registered an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side that have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach looks like to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to rescue them with two precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The winger may rediscover the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.