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A mere eight weeks in the past when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. When Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team who have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired in London, and it happened against the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent they must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward now would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.