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It was 60 days ago that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As Rogers swept in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, even as the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look curiously susceptible – however currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their star man to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again versus United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, arced right inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.