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A mere 60 days ago that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After the in-form star drilled in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six games, now sit just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

As per Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened in London, and again against Manchester United.

His opener came from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder 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 must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.