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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery berated him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or the reason for Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six games, find themselves a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a side that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with two crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge the club must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.