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It was 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or the source of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough query to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, twice all season has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team who have put together 10 in a row, Villa look curiously susceptible – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.