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A mere eight weeks prior that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery admonished him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of the team's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. As the England international curled home his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, are somehow only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have piled up.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team which has put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again versus United.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.