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A mere two months ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or a cause for the side's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the England international drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains an exceptionally difficult question to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, while the victories have piled up.

According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side that have just won 10 in a row, they seem curiously susceptible – but at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with two crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame 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.

“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. In the recent win, Manchester United managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent they must confront in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the performer he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.

This could contain the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.