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It was eight weeks ago that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. As Rogers curled home his second to restore his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and having failed to win any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

It remains a particularly tough query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, even as the wins have accumulated.

Per Opta, in only two games has the team registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – yet currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more when facing United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.