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It was eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager scolded him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. As the England international drilled in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, twice all season has the team had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club that have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more versus United.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, will not continue to drilling the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.