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A mere 60 days ago that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or the reason for the side's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. After the England international swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club which has put together ten consecutive victories, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the performer he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.