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Just two months in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the source for the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When the England international curled home his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six fixtures, now sit only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

This is a rather hard query to resolve. History, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, Villa look curiously susceptible – however at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.