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A mere two months in the past when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers drilled in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six games, are somehow only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.