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Just eight weeks in the past that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason for Villa's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers drilled in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six games, now sit only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough query to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, even as the wins have accumulated.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their talisman to save the day with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the force he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering 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

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.