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It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause 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 was entirely much more joyous. When the England international swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.

As per the data, in only two games has the team posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they look strangely fragile – yet currently the margins are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a superb shot, bent precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the ball into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential England player.

The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.