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Just two months in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of the team's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six matches, now sit only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

According to the data, in only two games has the side posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and again versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.