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A mere eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of the side's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six matches, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.

Per the data, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side that have just won ten consecutive victories, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.