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It was eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. When the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, while the wins have stacked up.

According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, the Villans appear strangely fragile – yet currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The winger might become the performer he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the potential of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.