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A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the source of the team's broader struggles.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough question to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the wins have accumulated.

Per the data, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their talisman to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened in London, and again against United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, arced just inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United managed more shots and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.