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A mere 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the source of the team's broader struggles.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. When Rogers swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their opening six matches, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, while the victories have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, arced right inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge they will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.