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A mere 60 days prior when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the side's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his second to restore the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the wins have accumulated.

According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine Rogers now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.