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It was 60 days in the past when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or a cause for the team's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. As the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

It remains a rather hard query to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

According to statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look strangely fragile – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened versus United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival the club must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.