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Just two months ago that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the source for the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant this season, even as the wins have piled up.

As per the data, in only two games have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look curiously susceptible – however at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

His opener came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition had more shots and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he was during his peak.
• The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital England player.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.