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It was eight weeks in the past when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a symptom or the reason for the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. As the in-form star swept in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery discarded his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team that have put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear strangely fragile – but right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents had more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the force he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a vital England player.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.