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It was 60 days ago when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause for the side's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. When the England international curled home his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of his first as he seized 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the force he resembled in Germany.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential England player.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.