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A mere two months in the past that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

On Sunday, though, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. After Rogers curled home his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.

As per the data, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a team who have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their talisman to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents had more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge the club have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.