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It was two months in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a sign 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.”

In the latest match, however, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. As Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard query to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, in only two games have Villa had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a club which has put together a ten-match winning streak, they appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened against United.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.