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It was two months in the past when the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for missing a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the source of Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. After the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have piled up.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the side posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, surely, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.