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A mere two months ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager scolded him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club went six without a win, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause 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 manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, now sit a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Challengers?

This is a rather hard proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, while the positive results have accumulated.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired in London, and it happened versus United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge the club have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers now would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential England player.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.