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It was eight weeks prior that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while Unai Emery berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a symptom or the source for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. As Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

This is a rather hard query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.

According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a club which has just won a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened versus Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.