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A mere eight weeks in the past that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six matches, are somehow only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have accumulated.

According to Opta, in only two games have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have just won 10 in a row, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for Rogers to save the day with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and again when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of his first 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival the club have to face in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the force he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers now would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.