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Just two months in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while his coach admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a symptom or the source of the team's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

In the latest match, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win any of their first six matches, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the victories have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa look curiously susceptible – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more efforts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the force he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.