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It was eight weeks ago that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for the side's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their opening six matches, are somehow only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, even as the wins have stacked up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a club that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like an essential England player.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. As the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.