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Just eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were an indicator or the reason for the side's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six games, now sit only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

As per the data, in only two games has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look curiously susceptible – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping Rogers to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one 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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.