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A mere 60 days prior that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery scolded him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After the England international swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their opening six games, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to address. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per the data, twice all season have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the player he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.