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It was two months ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery berated him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

Per the data, on just two occasions have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, they seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic looks like to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The winger may rediscover the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would be third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.