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A mere 60 days ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. When Rogers curled home his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard question to resolve. History, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

Per the data, twice all season have Villa had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, they look strangely fragile – but currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for Rogers to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more when facing United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.