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It was 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or a cause of the side's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club which has strung together 10 in a row, they appear curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their star man to rescue them with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more against United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival they will encounter in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

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

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.