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A mere eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough question to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side posted an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they seem strangely fragile – but currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.