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It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

It remains a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.

Per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again when facing United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival they have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.