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A mere two months ago when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, however, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When the England international swept in his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, even as the wins have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season has the team posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – yet right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, bent precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“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. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival the club have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the player he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.