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It was eight weeks ago that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the source for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough question to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

Per the data, on just two occasions has the team posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – but right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from a wide position. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“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. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.