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A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or a cause of the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After the in-form star curled home his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six matches, are somehow only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

Per Opta, in only two games have Villa had an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team which has put together a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with some crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first as he seized 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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more efforts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.