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Just eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. When the England international swept in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

As per the data, twice all season has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and once more when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized 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?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he resembled during his peak.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.