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Just two months ago that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or the source for the side's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the positive results have stacked up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping Rogers to save the day with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more when facing United.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration 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 managed more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the performer he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.