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It was two months ago when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or the source for the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against United.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a vital England player.

The current run is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.