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A mere two months prior when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for missing a through-ball. During that period, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or the source of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, even as the wins have accumulated.

According to Opta, twice all season has the team had an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus United.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, arced right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition registered more shots and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like a vital England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.