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A mere two months ago that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as Unai Emery berated him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or a cause of the side's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing 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?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.