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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a sign or the source for the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When the England international curled home his second to restore Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side which has put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their star man to rescue them with some crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more when facing United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival they will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the performer he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the potential of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.