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A mere 60 days ago that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or the source for the team's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

It remains a rather hard query to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their talisman to bail them out with two crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one 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?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

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

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.