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Just two months ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, while the wins have stacked up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – yet right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“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. Against United, the opposition had more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival they must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path in which, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.

The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.