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A mere eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were a sign or the source of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When Rogers curled home his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

It remains a rather hard question to answer. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.

Per the data, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side that have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United registered more efforts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the performer he was during his peak.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, 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.