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It was eight weeks ago when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were a sign or the reason for Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing United.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United registered more shots and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero faced the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.