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A mere two months ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him over missing a through-ball. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a symptom or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

That’s a rather hard proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, while the positive results have accumulated.

According to Opta, in only two games has the team posted an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival the club have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.