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It was eight weeks prior that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery berated him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his displays were a sign or a cause of the side'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. As the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six games, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.

According to the data, in only two games has the team posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look strangely fragile – however right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their talisman to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and again when facing United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent the club must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like an essential player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.