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A mere eight weeks in the past when the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a symptom or a cause of the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After the England international swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six games, are somehow only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard query to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, they seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with some clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more shots and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.